Oral curcumin supplementation improves fine motor function in the middle-aged rhesus monkey

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Neuroscience
• Nutritional Science

Background:

• Aging is associated with chronic systemic inflammation, contributing to declines in fine motor function.
• Nutraceuticals with anti-inflammatory properties are being investigated to mitigate age-related inflammation.
• Curcumin, a polyphenol from turmeric, exhibits significant anti-inflammatory effects.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of optimized curcumin in ameliorating age-related fine motor impairments.
• To determine if curcumin can delay the decline in hand and digit fine motor function associated with aging.

Main Methods:

• An 14- to 18-month dietary intervention study involving 11 middle-aged rhesus monkeys.
• Daily oral administration of optimized curcumin or a control vehicle.
• Assessment of fine motor function through repeated testing rounds.

Main Results:

• Monkeys receiving curcumin showed significantly faster performance in a food reward retrieval task by round 2.
• Curcumin-treated monkeys exhibited a greater improvement in fine motor task performance compared to controls.
• Chronic daily curcumin administration improved fine motor function in middle-aged monkeys.

Conclusions:

• Dietary curcumin supplementation can enhance fine motor function in aging non-human primates.
• Curcumin may be a viable strategy to counteract age-related deficits in hand and digit dexterity.
• These findings support curcumin's potential therapeutic role in managing age-associated motor decline.