Scientists from the University of Queensland (Australia) and the University of Helsinki (Finland) have found that, contrary to what was long believed, neurons don’t just rely on sugar for energy—they can burn fat too. Even more fascinating, when energy demands are high, neurons create their own fats by recycling their own cell parts. A key protein called DDHD2 makes this possible.
In a brain condition called Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia 54 (HSP54), the DDHD2 protein doesn’t work properly. Without it, neurons can’t make fats for energy and to support their functions, leading to early and worsening problems with firing off their signals.
Already at a young age, HSP54 patients display progressive defects in moving and thinking. But this discovery brings hope: by giving damaged neurons grown in the laboratory special fatty acid supplements, researchers were able to restore their energy production and function, in just 48 hours.
“This is a real game-changer,” said Dr Merja Joensuu , who conceived the project and led the study at the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology. “We’ve shown that healthy neurons rely on fats for fuel, and when this pathway fails in conditions like HSP54, it may be possible to repair the damage and reverse the neuropathologies.”
The team is now moving to the next stage: testing whether these fatty acid-based therapies are safe and effective in pre-clinical models, a necessary step before clinical trials in humans, and whether this fat-fueled brain pathway could help treat other, previously untreatable, brain diseases.
"We will continue the exciting collaboration with new non-invasive technologies to image the brain and therefore aid a faster development of the potential therapy. This breakthrough doesn’t just rewrite the textbooks, it could transform lives" Dr Giuseppe Balistreri from the University of Helsinki says.
Nature Metabolism
DDHD2 provides a flux of saturated fatty acids for neuronal energy and function
30-Sep-2025