Effect of nutritional supplement therapies in the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease in a transgenic mouse model

摘要

Background/Aims: The aim of this study was to examine the efficacy ofdiets containing (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), curcumin (Curc),DHA and a-lipoic acid (ALA) on reducing cognitive deficits and brain betaamyloid(Ab) levels in a transgenic Alzheimer’s disease (AD) mouse model.Methods: Sixty mice (age six months) were randomly assigned to one ofsix nutritional supplement groups (Control, Curc, Curc+EGCG+ALA,Curc+DHA+ALA, EGCG+DHA+ALA, Curc+EGCG+DHA+ALA) for 12 months.At 18 months of age, the cognitive effects of the nutritional supplementswere evaluated behaviourally using the cued and contextual fearavoidance test. A commercially available assay was used for the detectionand measurement of Ab levels in the brain. Difference between groups wastested using one-way ANOVA.Results: All nutritional supplement groups had lower frontal cortex Ab42levels compared to Controls (p < 0.05). Only the DHA+EGCG+ALA grouphad reduced frontal cortex Ab40 levels compared to Controls (p < 0.05). Nodifferences were observed in cerebellum Ab42 levels, although the Curc+EGCG+ALA and DHA+EGCG+ALA groups did have lower cerebellum Ab40levels compared to Controls (p < 0.05). All nutritional supplement combinationgroups had significant increases in time spent freezing in thecontext, altered context and auditory cue conditions in the cued andcontextual fear avoidance testing compared to Controls (p < 0.05).Conclusions: The combination nutritional supplements in this study wereeffective at lowering brain Ab42 levels and improving cognition. Howeverthere does not appear to be additional benefits from combinations of thesenutritional components over a single nutritional supplement of Curc.