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Nutrition and the Ageing Brain
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Nutrition and the Ageing Brain

A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Medicinal Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2021) | Viewed by 29479

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Barbara Shukitt-Hale

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
USDA-ARS, Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA
Interests: biology of ageing; behavioural neuroscience; neuroinflammation; neurovascular health; age-related cognitive decline; neurodegeneration
Dr. Grant A. Rutledge

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
USDA-ARS, Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA
Interests: biology of ageing; evolutionary mismatch; nutritional neuroscience; neuroinflammation; neurovascular health; age-related cognitive decline; neurodegeneration
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

As populations in developed countries continue to get older, age-associated decrements in mobility and cognition will become increasingly prevalent. Strategies to slow or reverse these deficits are needed in order to increase healthy ageing and reduce health care costs. Foods such as nuts, berries, and other fruits have been shown to reduce the risk of age-related cognitive impairment in model organisms and humans. However, more research is needed to further identify specific dietary components that preserve cognition and overall brain health. In addition, more work must be completed in order to identify the mechanisms of action underlying improvements in cognition and overall brain health, including studying neuroinflammation, neurovascular function, the gut–brain axis, and other related pathways.

Researchers in the field are cordially invited to contribute original research papers or reviews to this Special issue of Molecules, which aims to identify nutritional interventions that help to improve brain health, including cognition, mobility, and risk of neurodegenerative disorders, and the mechanisms that underlie these improvements. We look forward to reading your manuscripts.

You may choose our Joint Special Issue in Medical Sciences.

Sincerely,

Dr. Barbara Shukitt-Hale
Dr. Grant A. Rutledge
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Molecules is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • ageing
  • nutrition
  • cognition
  • neurodegeneration
  • neuroinflammation
  • polyphenols

Related Special Issue

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 2037 KiB  
Article
Protective Effects of a Polyphenol-Rich Blueberry Extract on Adult Human Neural Progenitor Cells
by Tong Zheng, Donna F. Bielinski, Derek R. Fisher, Jianyi Zhang and Barbara Shukitt-Hale
Molecules 2022, 27(19), 6152; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules27196152 - 20 Sep 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1801
Abstract
The aging process impacts neural stem cells and causes a significant decline in neurogenesis that contributes to neuronal dysfunction leading to cognitive decline. Blueberries are rich in polyphenols and have been shown to improve cognition and memory in older humans. While our previous [...] Read more.
The aging process impacts neural stem cells and causes a significant decline in neurogenesis that contributes to neuronal dysfunction leading to cognitive decline. Blueberries are rich in polyphenols and have been shown to improve cognition and memory in older humans. While our previous studies have shown that blueberry supplementations can increase neurogenesis in aged rodents, it is not clear whether this finding can be extrapolated to humans. We thus investigated the effects of blueberry treatments on adult hippocampal human neural progenitor cells (AHNPs) that are involved in neurogenesis and potentially in memory and other brain functions. Cultured AHNPs were treated with blueberry extract at different concentrations. Their viability, proliferation, and differentiation were evaluated with and without the presence of a cellular oxidative stressor, dopamine, and potential cellular mechanisms were also investigated. Our data showed that blueberry extract can significantly increase the viability and proliferation rates of control hippocampal AHNPs and can also reverse decreases in viability and proliferation induced by the cellular stressor dopamine. These effects may be associated with blueberry’s anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and calcium-buffering properties. Polyphenol-rich berry extracts thus confer a neuroprotective effect on human hippocampal progenitor cells in vitro. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition and the Ageing Brain)
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12 pages, 1210 KiB  
Article
The Effects of Berry Extracts on Oxidative Stress in Cultured Cardiomyocytes and Microglial Cells: A Potential Cardioprotective and Neuroprotective Mechanism
by Tanisha L. Currie, Marguerite M. Engler, Cara H. Olsen, Victor Krauthamer, Jonathan M. Scott, Patricia A. Deuster and Thomas P. Flagg
Molecules 2022, 27(9), 2789; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules27092789 - 27 Apr 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1919
Abstract
Oxidative stress is a key underlying factor in cognitive decline and atherosclerosis. Oxidative stress occurs at the cellular level with an imbalance between reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species and a deficiency in antioxidants. Mounting evidence suggests that berry flavonoids may promote [...] Read more.
Oxidative stress is a key underlying factor in cognitive decline and atherosclerosis. Oxidative stress occurs at the cellular level with an imbalance between reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species and a deficiency in antioxidants. Mounting evidence suggests that berry flavonoids may promote cellular health by exerting antioxidant properties. Black currant and various berry extracts were tested in microglia (BV-2) and cardiomyocyte (HL-1) cell lines to study their biological effects. The principal ingredients in black currant and cranberry extract–delphinidin 3-rutinoside (D3R) and cyanidin 3-glucoside (C3G), were also assessed. A menadione-induced oxidative stressor was used, and its output was quantified to detect oxidative stress (CellROXTM). Black currant extract had similar antioxidant effects as N-acetylcysteine (NAC) in HL-1 cells with regard to cellular protection, whereas cranberry extract was ineffective. In contrast, cranberry extract was comparable in effectiveness to black currant extract in BV-2 cells. D3R and C3G also reduced oxidative stress similarly to whole berry extracts, which indicates that these ingredients may confer the antioxidant effects of berries. Black currant and cranberry extracts inhibit oxidative stress in microglial and cardiomyocyte cell lines. Black currant extract was more effective in reducing oxidative stress in the HL-1 cells, whereas cranberry extract was comparable in reducing oxidative stress in the BV-2 cells. The results suggest that berry flavonoids exert neuro- and cardioprotective effects. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition and the Ageing Brain)
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24 pages, 3127 KiB  
Article
Hypertension in Prenatally Undernourished Young-Adult Rats Is Maintained by Tonic Reciprocal Paraventricular–Coerulear Excitatory Interactions
by Bernardita Cayupe, Carlos Morgan, Gustavo Puentes, Luis Valladares, Héctor Burgos, Amparo Castillo, Alejandro Hernández, Luis Constandil, Miguel Ríos, Patricio Sáez-Briones and Rafael Barra
Molecules 2021, 26(12), 3568; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules26123568 - 11 Jun 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2617
Abstract
Prenatally malnourished rats develop hypertension in adulthood, in part through increased α1-adrenoceptor-mediated outflow from the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) to the sympathetic system. We studied whether both α1-adrenoceptor-mediated noradrenergic excitatory pathways from the locus coeruleus (LC) to the PVN and [...] Read more.
Prenatally malnourished rats develop hypertension in adulthood, in part through increased α1-adrenoceptor-mediated outflow from the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) to the sympathetic system. We studied whether both α1-adrenoceptor-mediated noradrenergic excitatory pathways from the locus coeruleus (LC) to the PVN and their reciprocal excitatory CRFergic connections contribute to prenatal undernutrition-induced hypertension. For that purpose, we microinjected either α1-adrenoceptor or CRH receptor agonists and/or antagonists in the PVN or the LC, respectively. We also determined the α1-adrenoceptor density in whole hypothalamus and the expression levels of α1A-adrenoceptor mRNA in the PVN. The results showed that: (i) agonists microinjection increased systolic blood pressure and heart rate in normotensive eutrophic rats, but not in prenatally malnourished subjects; (ii) antagonists microinjection reduced hypertension and tachycardia in undernourished rats, but not in eutrophic controls; (iii) in undernourished animals, antagonist administration to one nuclei allowed the agonists recover full efficacy in the complementary nucleus, inducing hypertension and tachycardia; (iv) early undernutrition did not modify the number of α1-adrenoceptor binding sites in hypothalamus, but reduced the number of cells expressing α1A-adrenoceptor mRNA in the PVN. These results support the hypothesis that systolic pressure and heart rate are increased by tonic reciprocal paraventricular–coerulear excitatory interactions in prenatally undernourished young-adult rats. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition and the Ageing Brain)
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Review

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23 pages, 2167 KiB  
Review
Ginger, a Possible Candidate for the Treatment of Dementias?
by Giovanni Schepici, Valentina Contestabile, Andrea Valeri and Emanuela Mazzon
Molecules 2021, 26(18), 5700; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules26185700 - 21 Sep 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 5311
Abstract
As the human life expectancy increases, age-linked diseases have become more and more frequent. The worldwide increment of dementia cases demands medical solutions, but the current available drugs do not meet all the expectations. Recently the attention of the scientific community was attracted [...] Read more.
As the human life expectancy increases, age-linked diseases have become more and more frequent. The worldwide increment of dementia cases demands medical solutions, but the current available drugs do not meet all the expectations. Recently the attention of the scientific community was attracted by natural compounds, used in ancient medicine, known for their beneficial effects and high tolerability. This review is focused on Ginger (Zingiber officinale) and explore its properties against Alzheimer’s Disease and Vascular Dementia, two of the most common and devastating forms of dementia. This work resumes the beneficial effects of Ginger compounds, tested in computational in vitro and in vivo models of Alzheimer’s Disease and Vascular Dementia, along with some human tests. All these evidences suggest a potential role of the compounds of ginger not only in the treatment of the disease, but also in its prevention. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition and the Ageing Brain)
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20 pages, 3466 KiB  
Review
Green Tea Suppresses Brain Aging
by Keiko Unno and Yoriyuki Nakamura
Molecules 2021, 26(16), 4897; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules26164897 - 12 Aug 2021
Cited by 21 | Viewed by 9331
Abstract
Epidemiological studies have demonstrated that the intake of green tea is effective in reducing the risk of dementia. The most important component of green tea is epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). Both EGCG and epigallocatechin (EGC) have been suggested to cross the blood–brain barrier to [...] Read more.
Epidemiological studies have demonstrated that the intake of green tea is effective in reducing the risk of dementia. The most important component of green tea is epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). Both EGCG and epigallocatechin (EGC) have been suggested to cross the blood–brain barrier to reach the brain parenchyma, but EGCG has been found to be more effective than EGC in promoting neuronal differentiation. It has also been suggested that the products of EGCG decomposition by the intestinal microbiota promote the differentiation of nerve cells and that both EGCG and its degradation products act on nerve cells with a time lag. On the other hand, the free amino acids theanine and arginine contained in green tea have stress-reducing effects. While long-term stress accelerates the aging of the brain, theanine and arginine suppress the aging of the brain due to their anti-stress effect. Since this effect is counteracted by EGCG and caffeine, the ratios between these green tea components are important for the anti-stress action. In this review, we describe how green tea suppresses brain aging, through the activation of nerve cells by both EGCG and its degradation products, and the reductions in stress achieved by theanine and arginine. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition and the Ageing Brain)
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21 pages, 2081 KiB  
Review
The Effect of High Fat Diet on Cerebrovascular Health and Pathology: A Species Comparative Review
by Benjamin Zimmerman, Payel Kundu, William D. Rooney and Jacob Raber
Molecules 2021, 26(11), 3406; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules26113406 - 04 Jun 2021
Cited by 21 | Viewed by 7427
Abstract
In both humans and animal models, consumption of a high-saturated-fat diet has been linked to vascular dysfunction and cognitive impairments. Laboratory animals provide excellent models for more invasive high-fat-diet-related research. However, the physiological differences between humans and common animal models in terms of [...] Read more.
In both humans and animal models, consumption of a high-saturated-fat diet has been linked to vascular dysfunction and cognitive impairments. Laboratory animals provide excellent models for more invasive high-fat-diet-related research. However, the physiological differences between humans and common animal models in terms of how they react metabolically to high-fat diets need to be considered. Here, we review the factors that may affect the translatability of mechanistic research in animal models, paying special attention to the effects of a high-fat diet on vascular outcomes. We draw attention to the dissociation between metabolic syndrome and dyslipidemia in rodents, unlike the state in humans, where the two commonly occur. We also discuss the differential vulnerability between species to the metabolic and vascular effects of macronutrients in the diet. Findings from animal studies are better interpreted as modeling specific aspects of dysfunction. We conclude that the differences between species provide an opportunity to explore why some species are protected from the detrimental aspects of high-fat-diet-induced dysfunction, and to translate these findings into benefits for human health. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition and the Ageing Brain)
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