Dihydromyricetin Improves Hypobaric Hypoxia-Induced Memory Impairment via Modulation of SIRT3 Signaling

Inadequate oxygen availability-for instance at high altitudes-leads to hippocampal neurodegeneration and memory impairment. Although oxidative stress is one factor, the mechanism underlying the effects of hypobaric hypoxia (HH) are unclear, and effective strategies for preventing the resultant damage to the brain are limited. In the present study, we demonstrate that ingesting dihydromyricetin (DM) protects against memory impairment in adult rats subjected to HH for 7 days, equivalent to an altitude of 5000 m above sea level. Moreover, DM treatment stimulated mitochondrial biogenesis and improved mitochondrial morphology and function, suppressed the generation of reactive oxygen species, and reduced lipid peroxidation in the hippocampus. In HT-22 cells exposed to hypoxic conditions, the neuroprotective effects of DM were shown to be exerted via attenuation of oxidative stress through sirtuin 3-induced forkhead box O3 deacetylation.