Neuropathy is a painful and potentially crippling disorder that is common in people with diabetes and often affects people with obesity, yet the underlying reason is poorly understood. Boyd al. now reveal that a diet enriched in ω-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) triggers peripheral neuropathy in mice, and this effect is reversed by a diet enriched in ω-3 PUFAs. These findings may help explain the high incidence of neuropathies in people with diet-related obesity without diabetes, and may provide a potential target for the prevention and treatment of this metabolic and neurological disorder.
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McGinnis, A., Ji, RR. Can a Western high-fat diet lead to painful neuropathy?. Nat Metab 3, 735–736 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s42255-021-00411-w
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s42255-021-00411-w
