Kauwe and others in Haghighi's lab are exploring why such a change in the set point of
synaptic transmission
occurs so rapidly, and how dampening neuron
activity might be beneficial in treating, or even preventing, neurodegenerative diseases.
According to their paper, the cellular stress and lack of nutrition catalyzed by fasting blocks the
synaptic activity of neurons that normally
occurs in the brain, which essentially means that the brain slows down.