A Walnut Diet  in Combination with Enriched Environment Improves Cognitive Function and Affects Lipid Metabolites in Brain and Liver of Aged NMRI Mice

AbstractThis in vivo study aimed to test if a diet enriched with 6% walnuts alone or in combination with physical activity supports healthy ageing by changing the oxylipin profile in brain and liver, improving motor function, cognition, and cerebral mitochondrial function. Female NMRI mice were fed a 6% walnut diet starting at an age of 12  months for 24 weeks. One group was additionally maintained in an enriched environment, one group without intervention served as control. After three months, one additional control group of young mice (3 weeks old) was introduced. Motor and cognitive functions were measured using Open Field, Y-Ma ze, Rotarod and Passive Avoidance tests. Lipid metabolite profiles were determined using RP-LC-ESI(-)-MS/MS in brain and liver tissues of mice. Cerebral mitochondrial function was characterized by the determination of ATP levels, mitochondrial membrane potential and mitochondrial respiration. Expres sion of genes involved with mito- and neurogenesis, inflammation, and synaptic plasticity were determined using qRT-PCR. A 6% walnut-enriched diet alone improved spatial memory in a Y-Maze alternation test (p <  0.05) in mice. Additional physical enrichment enhanced the significance, although the overall benefit was virtually identical. Instead, physical enrichment improved motor performance in a Rotarod experiment (p*  <  0.05) which was unaffected by walnuts alone. Bioactive oxylipins like hydroxy-polyunsaturated fatty acids (OH-PUFA)...
Source: NeuroMolecular Medicine - Category: Neurology Source Type: research