scholarly journals Preservation of Cognitive Function byLepidium meyenii(Maca) Is Associated with Improvement of Mitochondrial Activity and Upregulation of Autophagy-Related Proteins in Middle-Aged Mouse Cortex

2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shan-Shan Guo ◽  
Xiao-Fang Gao ◽  
Yan-Rong Gu ◽  
Zhong-Xiao Wan ◽  
A-Ming Lu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Function ◽  
Cognitive Decline ◽  
Mitochondrial Function ◽  
Mitochondrial Activity ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
Aged Mice ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Mouse Cortex ◽  
Related Proteins ◽  
Age Related Cognitive Decline

Maca has been used as a foodstuff and a traditional medicine in the Andean region for over 2,000 years. Recently the neuroprotective effects of maca also arouse interest of researchers. Decrease in mitochondrial function and decline in autophagy signaling may participate in the process of age-related cognitive decline. This study aimed to investigate if maca could improve cognitive function of middle-aged mice and if this effect was associated with improvement of mitochondrial activity and modulation of autophagy signaling in mouse cortex. Fourteen-month-old male ICR mice received maca powder administered by gavage for five weeks. Maca improved cognitive function, motor coordination, and endurance capacity in middle-aged mice, accompanied by increased mitochondrial respiratory function and upregulation of autophagy-related proteins in cortex. Our findings suggest that maca is a newly defined nutritional plant which can improve mitochondrial function and upregulate autophagy-related proteins and may be an effective functional food for slowing down age-related cognitive decline.

scholarly journals Interleukin 6 reduces allopregnanolone synthesis in the brain and contributes to age-related cognitive decline in mice

2020 ◽  
Vol 61 (10) ◽  
pp. 1308-1319
Author(s):  
Eileen E. Parks ◽  
Sreemathi Logan ◽  
Alexander Yeganeh ◽  
Julie A. Farley ◽  
Daniel B. Owen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Function ◽  
Cognitive Decline ◽  
Inflammatory Cytokines ◽  
Interleukin 6 ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Natural Inhibitor ◽  
Age Related Cognitive Decline ◽  
The Brain

Cognitive decline with age is a harmful process that can reduce quality of life. Multiple factors have been established to contribute to cognitive decline, but the overall etiology remains unknown. Here, we hypothesized that cognitive dysfunction is mediated, in part, by increased levels of inflammatory cytokines that alter allopregnanolone (AlloP) levels, an important neurosteroid in the brain. We assessed the levels and regulation of AlloP and the effects of AlloP supplementation on cognitive function in 4-month-old and 24-month-old male C57BL/6 mice. With age, the expression of enzymes involved in the AlloP synthetic pathway was decreased and corticosterone (CORT) synthesis increased. Supplementation of AlloP improved cognitive function. Interestingly, interleukin 6 (IL-6) infusion in young animals significantly reduced the production of AlloP compared with controls. It is notable that inhibition of IL-6 with its natural inhibitor, soluble membrane glycoprotein 130, significantly improved spatial memory in aged mice. These findings were supported by in vitro experiments in primary murine astrocyte cultures, indicating that IL-6 decreases production of AlloP and increases CORT levels. Our results indicate that age-related increases in IL-6 levels reduce progesterone substrate availability, resulting in a decline in AlloP levels and an increase in CORT. Furthermore, our results indicate that AlloP is a critical link between inflammatory cytokines and the age-related decline in cognitive function.

scholarly journals CogEvo, a cognitive function balancer, is a sensitive and easy psychiatric test battery for age‐related cognitive decline

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 248-255 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sadanobu Ichii ◽  
Takumi Nakamura ◽  
Takeshi Kawarabayashi ◽  
Masamitsu Takatama ◽  
Tetsuya Ohgami ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Function ◽  
Cognitive Decline ◽  
Test Battery ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Age Related Cognitive Decline

scholarly journals NMN Rescues Endothelial Function and Neurovascular Coupling, Improving Cognitive Function in Aged Mice

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 121-121
Author(s):  
Stefano Tarantini ◽  
Andriy Yabluchanskiy ◽  
Praveen Ballabh ◽  
Eszter Farkas ◽  
Joseph Baur ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Function ◽  
Cognitive Decline ◽  
Spatial Working Memory ◽  
Therapeutic Potential ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Neurovascular Coupling ◽  
Protective Effects ◽  
Doppler Flowmetry ◽  
Aged Mice ◽  
Age Related

Abstract Adjustment of cerebral blood flow (CBF) to neuronal activity via neurovascular coupling (NVC) has an essential role in maintenance of healthy cognitive function. In aging increased oxidative stress and cerebromicrovascular endothelial dysfunction impair NVC, contributing to cognitive decline. There is increasing evidence showing that a decrease in NAD+ availability with age plays a critical role in a range of age-related cellular impairments but its role in impaired NVC responses remains unexplored. The present study was designed to test the hypothesis that restoring NAD+ concentration may exert beneficial effects on NVC responses in aging. To test this hypothesis 24-month-old C57BL/6 mice were treated with nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), a key NAD+ intermediate, for 2 weeks. NVC was assessed by measuring CBF responses (laser Doppler flowmetry) evoked by contralateral whisker stimulation. We found that NVC responses were significantly impaired in aged mice. NMN supplementation rescued NVC responses by increasing endothelial NO-mediated vasodilation, which was associated with significantly improved spatial working memory and gait coordination. These findings are paralleled by the sirtuin-dependent protective effects of NMN on mitochondrial production of reactive oxygen species and mitochondrial bioenergetics in cultured cerebromicrovascular endothelial cells derived from aged animals. Thus, a decrease in NAD+ availability contributes to age-related cerebromicrovascular dysfunction, exacerbating cognitive decline. The cerebromicrovascular protective effects of NMN highlight the preventive and therapeutic potential of NAD+ intermediates as effective interventions in patients at risk for vascular cognitive impairment (VCI).

scholarly journals Effects of Dietary Food Components on Cognitive Functions in Older Adults

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 2804
Author(s):  
Hitoshi Ozawa ◽  
Taiki Miyazawa ◽  
Teruo Miyazawa
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Cognitive Function ◽  
Cognitive Decline ◽  
Elderly People ◽  
Cognitive Functions ◽  
Bioactive Substances ◽  
Food Components ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Age Related Cognitive Decline ◽  
The Relationship

Population aging has recently been an important issue as the number of elderly people is growing worldwide every year, and the extension of social security costs is financially costly. The increase in the number of elderly people with cognitive decline is a serious problem related to the aging of populations. Therefore, it is necessary to consider not only physical care but also cognitive patterns in the future care of older adults. Since food contains a variety of bioactive substances, dietary patterns may help improve age-related cognitive decline. However, the relationship between cognitive function and individual food components remains ambiguous as no clear efficacy or mechanism has been confirmed. Against this background, this review summarizes previous reports on the biological process of cognitive decline in the elderly and the relationship between individual compounds in foods and cognitive function, as well as the role of individual components of food in cognitive function, in the following order: lipids, carotenoids, vitamins, phenolic compounds, amino acids, peptides, and proteins. Based on the research presented in this review, a proper diet that preserves cognitive function has the potential to improve age-related cognitive decline, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease. Hopefully, this review will help to trigger the development of new foods and technologies that improve aging and cognitive functions and extend the healthy life span.

scholarly journals β-Lactolin Reduces Age-Related Inflammation and Cognitive Decline

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yasuhisa Ano ◽  
Rena Ohya ◽  
Akihiko Takashima ◽  
Kazuyuki Uchida ◽  
Hiroyuki Nakayama
Keyword(s):  
Object Recognition ◽  
Cognitive Decline ◽  
Memory Impairment ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Epidemiological Studies ◽  
Object Recognition Test ◽  
Aged Mice ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Age Related Cognitive Decline ◽  
Young Mice

With the rapid increase in aging populations worldwide, there has been an increase in demand for preventive and therapeutic measures for age-related cognitive decline and dementia. Epidemiological studies show that consumption of dairy products reduces the risk for cognitive decline and dementia in the elderly. We have previously demonstrated in randomized trials that the consumption of β-lactolin, a whey-derived Gly-Thr-Trp-Tyr lactotetrapeptide, improves cognitive function in older adults. Orally administered β-lactolin is delivered to the brain and inhibits monoamine oxidase, resulting in alleviation of memory impairment. However, there is currently no evidence of the effects of long-term β-lactolin intake on aging. Here, we found that the discrimination index in the novel object recognition test for object recognition memory was reduced in mice aged 20 months compared with that in young mice, indicating that age-related cognitive decline was induced in the aged mice; in aged mice fed β-lactolin for 3 months, memory impairment was subsequently alleviated. In aged mice, impairment of light/dark activity cycles was found to be induced, which was subsequently alleviated by β-lactolin consumption. Additionally, the number of activated microglia in the hippocampus and cortex and the production of cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-α, macrophage inflammatory protein-1α, and macrophage chemoattractant protein-1) were increased in aged mice compared with those in young mice but were reduced in aged mice fed β-lactolin. The age-related hippocampal atrophy was improved in aged mice fed β-lactolin. Cytochrome c levels in the hippocampus and cortex were increased in aged mice compared with those in young mice but were also reduced by β-lactolin consumption. These results suggest that β-lactolin consumption prevents neural inflammation and alleviates aging-related cognitive decline.

The Association Between High-Molecular-Weight Adiponectin, Ghrelin and Leptin and Age-Related Cognitive Decline: Results From Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam

2020 ◽  
Vol 76 (1) ◽  
pp. 131-140
Author(s):  
Merel van Andel ◽  
Natasja M van Schoor ◽  
Nicole C Korten ◽  
Hannie C Comijs ◽  
Annemieke C Heijboer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Weight ◽  
Cognitive Function ◽  
Cognitive Decline ◽  
Z Score ◽  
Model Composite ◽  
Hmw Adiponectin ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Adjusted Model ◽  
Age Related Cognitive Decline

Abstract Background Age-related cognitive decline has large-scale functional and economic consequences and understanding its’ pathophysiological mechanisms is therefore essential. Previous research has suggested associations between hormones adiponectin, ghrelin and leptin and neurodegenerative disease. However, their association with age-related cognitive decline has not been fully described. We examine the association between serum high-molecular-weight (HMW) adiponectin, ghrelin and leptin and age-related cognitive decline in older adults. Methods The associations between HMW adiponectin, ghrelin and leptin and the Mini-Mental-State-Examination, Coding task (Coding), 15 Words Test (15WT) and composite Z-score (general cognitive function) were analyzed by means of a sex-stratified multivariable linear regression analysis in a population-based cohort of 898 older adults at baseline and after 3 years of follow-up. Results In women, we found a positive association between HMW adiponectin and general cognitive function at baseline (fully adjusted model composite Z-score standardized regression co-efficient beta [β] = .089, p = .025). After 3 years of follow-up, HMW adiponectin was associated with more decline in general cognitive function and information processing speed (fully adjusted model composite Z-score β = −.123, p = .018; Coding β = −.116, p = .027). Ghrelin and leptin were significantly associated with memory in a baseline subgroup analysis of older women. For men, we found no significant associations at baseline or follow-up. Conclusion Our results show variable associations between hormones HMW adiponectin, ghrelin and leptin and age-related cognitive decline in women but not in men. As there was no clear trend, all our results should be interpreted with caution.

Activity Engagement in Cognitive Aging: A Review of the Evidence

2013 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yvonne Rogalski ◽  
Muriel Quintana
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Cognitive Decline ◽  
Cognitive Aging ◽  
Social Activity ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Omega 3 ◽  
Neuroprotective Effects ◽  
Activity Engagement ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Age Related Cognitive Decline

The population of older adults is rapidly increasing, as is the number and type of products and interventions proposed to prevent or reduce the risk of age-related cognitive decline. Advocacy and prevention are part of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s (ASHA’s) scope of practice documents, and speech-language pathologists must have basic awareness of the evidence contributing to healthy cognitive aging. In this article, we provide a brief overview outlining the evidence on activity engagement and its effects on cognition in older adults. We explore the current evidence around the activities of eating and drinking with a discussion on the potential benefits of omega-3 fatty acids, polyphenols, alcohol, and coffee. We investigate the evidence on the hypothesized neuroprotective effects of social activity, the evidence on computerized cognitive training, and the emerging behavioral and neuroimaging evidence on physical activity. We conclude that actively aging using a combination of several strategies may be our best line of defense against cognitive decline.

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