On 25 October 2025, scientists from the University of Helsinki and the University of Queensland announced that neurons, which are the brain’s nerve cells, can use fat as an energy source alongside sugar. This finding challenges long-standing views in neuroscience and provides new hope for treating brain diseases such as Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia 54 (HSP54). The research reveals that a key protein, DDHD2, enables fat metabolism in neurons; when it doesn’t work properly, neurons struggle, leading to potential damage.
On 25 October 2025, scientists from the University of Helsinki and the University of Queensland announced that neurons, which are the brain’s nerve cells, can use fat as an energy source alongside sugar. This finding challenges long-standing views in neuroscience and provides new hope for treating brain diseases such as Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia 54 (HSP54). The research reveals that a key protein, DDHD2, enables fat metabolism in neurons; when it doesn’t work properly, neurons struggle, leading to potential damage.
Long-held belief: sugar is the only fuel
For decades, researchers thought that brain cells relied almost entirely on glucose, or sugar, for energy. Glucose passes through the blood-brain barrier and supports neural activity through glycolysis and mitochondrial respiration. The idea that fat could play a key role in brain energy was not widely accepted. However, this new study shows that when neurons are under stress or lack DDHD2, they can switch to using fat for energy or may fail to function.
The discovery and how scientists found it
The research team used models of damaged neurons with the DDHD2 gene either removed or malfunctioning. They found that these neurons lost the ability to generate energy through normal sugar metabolism. Surprisingly, when the scientists added specific fatty acids, the neurons were able to restore their energy production within just 48 hours. This suggests that neurons can burn fat and even produce it by recycling parts of their own cells, a process not previously known in brain science.
Importance of the DDHD2 protein
The DDHD2 protein seems to direct how neurons process fat. In HSP54, a rare and serious brain condition, this protein is mutated, and patients exhibit early motor dysfunction and neuron degeneration. The study indicates that improving fatty-acid metabolism might reverse damage or slow down the progression of such disorders. It also raises the possibility that more common neurodegenerative diseases could benefit from treatments targeting fat metabolism in neurons.
Broader implications for brain health and disease
This discovery has several important implications:
- New treatment options: Strategies to fuel neurons may shift from primarily using sugar to including support for fat metabolism.
- Relevance to other diseases: While HSP54 is uncommon, similar processes may occur in diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, or ALS, where energy failure in cells is a factor.
- Brain resilience: The ability to switch fuel sources could make neurons more resilient in times of stress or injury.
- Nutrition and neuroscience: The role of dietary fats and fatty-acid metabolism in brain health may warrant further investigation.
What we still don’t know
Despite the promise of this research, many questions remain:
- Will fat-based therapies be safe and effective in humans? While successful in cell models, clinical trials are necessary.
- What is the normal amount of fat that neurons use in healthy brains, and how does that change with age, disease, and stress?
- Is this fat metabolism mechanism unique to certain neurons, or is it widespread across different brain regions?
- What are the long-term effects of changing neuron fuel sources? There may be side effects, metabolic issues, or unintended consequences.
Why this matters to us
The brain is the most energy-intensive organ in the body, using about 20% of our total energy despite making up only around 2% of body mass. Understanding how neurons obtain their energy is crucial for insights into how they age, why they die, and how diseases affect them. The idea that fat metabolism plays a part opens up new opportunities for improving brain resilience, longevity, and disease prevention.
How to follow the development
If you want to keep up with this research:
- Watch for clinical trials aimed at fatty-acid metabolism in neurological diseases.
- Stay updated on studies connecting diet, brain energy use, and neurodegeneration.
- Follow neuroscience labs investigating DDHD2 and related proteins for potential new drug targets.
Watch to know more
Conclusion
The discovery that neurons can burn fat, not just sugar, marks a significant advancement in neuroscience. It challenges a long-held belief and opens up new possibilities for treating brain diseases. The role of DDHD2 and neural fat metabolism is just beginning to be understood, but its potential is vast. As researchers transition to clinical settings and broader studies on brain health, this could lead to innovative therapies, reshape our knowledge of brain nutrition, and help protect this vital organ.
