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Balanced Caloric Restriction Minimizes Changes Caused by Aging on the Colonic Myenteric Plexus
Renata de Britto Mari1, Sandra Regina Stabille2, Haroldo Garcia de Faria3
1a São Paulo State University (Unesp) , Institute of Biosciences , São Vicente , São Paulo , Brazil.
Journal of Dietary Supplements
|August 1, 2017
Summary
Caloric restriction (CR) in aging rats mitigated gastrointestinal changes by preserving myenteric neuron structure. Dietary adjustments, specifically 12.5% and 31% caloric reduction, protected against age-related neuron density increases.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Neuroscience
- Aging Research
Background:
- Aging significantly alters gastrointestinal tract (GIT) structure and function.
- Myenteric neurons of the enteric nervous system regulate GIT motility.
- Dietary interventions, like caloric restriction (CR), are explored to mitigate aging effects.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of different caloric restriction (CR) levels on nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate- (NADPH-) reactive myenteric neurons in aging Wistar rats.
- To analyze ultrastructural and morphoquantitative changes in the colon's myenteric neurons under CR during aging.
Main Methods:
- Wistar rats were divided into control (6-month-old), aged (18-month-old) with normal diet, and aged with 12.5% (CRI) or 31% (CRII) CR diets for 6 months.
- Ultrastructural analysis using transmission electron microscopy was performed.
- Morphoquantitative analysis assessed changes in NADPH-reactive myenteric neurons.
Main Results:
- Aging caused disorganization of the periganglionar matrix, which was prevented by hypocaloric diets.
- CR (12.5% and 31%) minimized the age-related increase in density and cell profile of NADPH-reactive neurons.
- Ultrastructural integrity of the myenteric neurons was better preserved in CR groups.
Conclusions:
- Caloric restriction effectively counteracts age-related morphofunctional changes in the myenteric neurons of the rat colon.
- Dietary hypocaloric adaptation may be a strategy to prevent or alleviate gastrointestinal disturbances associated with aging.
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