BACKGROUND: Cocoa, one of the richest dietary sources of polyphenols has been studied for its health promoting effects, but how long-term consumption of cocoa affects age-associated health and lifespan is not well defined. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine the effects of long-term cocoa consumption on age-associated health and lifespan in C. elegans METHODS: The standard E. coli OP50 diet of wild type C. elegans was supplemented with cocoa powder starting from L1 stage until they die. Body length and area were measured as indicators of worm nutrition. Age associated health was determined at different stages of life as day 4, day 8 and day 12 using worm locomotion, thermotolerance, cognition and mitochondrial function. In addition, lifespan was evaluated. RESULTS: Cocoa improved age-associated decline in neuromuscular function. Both mean and median lifespan were extended by cocoa supplementation. However, maximum lifespan was not affected. Cocoa showed beneficial effects on thermotolerance at all ages (more prominent effects at young (day 4) and middle (day 8) age). Further, consumption of cocoa improved age-related learning deficits, short-term memory loss and mitochondrial dysfunction. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term cocoa consumption seemed to improve age-associated health and extends lifespan in C. elegans

The use of many psychotropic drugs (PDs) is associated with increased caloric intake, significant weight gain, and metabolic disorders. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) has been used to study the effects of PDs on food intake. However, little is known about PDs effects on the body fat of C. elegans . In C. elegans , feeding behavior and fat metabolism are regulated through independent mechanisms. This study aims to evaluate the body fat and food intake of C. elegans in response to treatment olanzapine and fluoxetine. Here we report that, with careful consideration to the dosage used, administration of fluoxetine and olanzapine increases body fat and food intake in C. elegans .

Background: We previously showed that cocoa, a rich source of polyphenols improved the age-associated health and extended the lifespan in C. elegans when supplemented starting from L1 stage. Aim: In this study, we aimed to find out the effects of timing of cocoa exposure on longevity improving effects and the mechanisms and pathways involved in lifespan extension in C. elegans. Methods: The standard E. coli OP50 diet of wild type C. elegans was supplemented with cocoa powder starting from different larval stages (L1, L2, L3, and L4) till the death, from L1 to adult day 1 and from adult day 1 till the death. For mechanistic studies, different mutant strains of C. elegans were supplemented with cocoa starting from L1 stage till the death. Survival curves were plotted, and mean lifespan was reported. Results: Cocoa exposure starting from L1 stage till the death and till adult day 1 significantly extended the lifespan of worms. However, cocoa supplementation at other larval stages as well as at adulthood could not extend the lifespan, instead the lifespan was significantly reduced. Cocoa could not extend the lifespan of daf-16, daf-2, sir-2.1, and clk-1 mutants. Conclusion: Early-start supplementation is essential for cocoa-mediated lifespan extension which is dependent on insulin/IGF-1 signaling pathway and mitochondrial respiration.

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BACKGROUND: Cocoa, a significant contributor of polyphenols to the western diet has been shown to be effective against Aβ induced toxicity in vitro. However, the effects of long-term cocoa supplementation on Aβ induced behavioural deficits, particularly on the short-term memory loss observed in human AD are not well defined. OBJECTIVE: This study characterized the phenotype of a pan-neuronal Aβ expressing C. elegans strain and investigated the effects of long-term cocoa supplementation on Aβ induced behavioural deficits including short-term memory loss and lifespan. METHODS: Cocoa powder was supplemented to the E. coli OP50 diet of C. elegans starting from L1 stage until they die. Neuronally controlled processes including locomotion, learning and memory were studied at different stages of the lifespan. In addition, lifespan was evaluated with different cocoa doses. Aβ fibril levels were determined with Thioflavin T. RESULTS: Aβ expressing worms showed a reduced growth, a reduced maximum speed at old age, short-term memory deficits at middle age and a reduced lifespan. Cocoa-supplementation reversed the deficits in growth, maximum speed, short-term memory loss and lifespan to reach similar levels to control counterparts while reducing the Aβ fibril levels. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term cocoa supplementation seemed to improve Aβ induced deficits in C. elegans.