Scientists think that a special connection between brain blood vessels and nerve cells might be how the artificial sweetener aspartame harms the brain — by causing too much excitement in nerves, creating harmful chemicals, and messing with brain signals.

This study looked at whether the artificial sweetener aspartame can harm the brain’s blood-vessel-and-nerve network, and found evidence that it might — by messing with brain chemicals, causing stress, and overstimulating nerves. It says this network is a new target for how aspartame causes damage, which matches exactly what the claim says.