A nucleoside-nucleotide mixture may reduce memory deterioration in old senescence-accelerated mice

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Gerontology
• Nutritional Science

Background:

• Aging is associated with cognitive decline and changes in brain morphology.
• Dietary interventions are being explored to mitigate age-related deterioration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of dietary nucleosides and nucleotides (NS + NT) on memory and brain histopathology in aging mice.
• To determine if NS + NT supplementation can counteract age-induced changes in cognitive function and brain structure.

Main Methods:

• Senescence-accelerated mice (SAM) at 1 and 7 months of age were fed either a control diet or a diet supplemented with NS + NT for 14 weeks.
• Memory was assessed using passive avoidance (step-through) and active avoidance (shuttle) tests.
• Brain histopathology was examined, measuring lipofuscin, monovacuoles, and multiple vacuoles in various brain regions.

Main Results:

• Old mice supplemented with NS + NT showed significantly improved memory retention in both passive and active avoidance tests compared to controls.
• Dietary NS + NT significantly reduced lipofuscin accumulation in brain cells of both young and old mice.
• A trend towards reduced vacuolation in brain regions was observed in NS + NT supplemented groups, with significant reductions in specific areas.

Conclusions:

• Increased dietary NS + NT may help decrease age-induced deterioration of brain morphology.
• Dietary NS + NT supplementation shows promise in improving certain memory tasks in aging individuals.
• This study suggests a potential role for nucleosides and nucleotides in supporting cognitive health during aging.