A Nucleoside-Nucleotide Mixture May Reduce Memory Deterioration in Old Senescence-Accelerated Mice

Abstract

We investigated the effects of a mixture of dietary nucleosides and nucleotides (NS + NT) on memory in 1- and 7-mo-old senescence-accelerated mice (SAM). Memory retention was studied with passive avoidance (step-through) and active avoidance (shuttle) tests. For 14 wk, mice in the control groups were fed a 20 g of casein/100 g diet, whereas the NS + NT groups were fed this diet supplemented with a 0.5 g of NS + NT mixture/100 g. All mice were killed at wk 14, and we studied the brain histopathology. Lipofuscin, monovacuoles and multiple vacuoles of various brain regions were measured. Body weight, food intake and ambulatory activity did not differ between the control and NS + NT groups. In old mice, the time of passive avoidance was significantly higher in the NS + NT group than in the control group at d 1 and 7 (P: < 0.05). However, such an effect of NS + NT was not observed in young mice. In the active avoidance test, the incidence of successful avoidance in old mice was higher in the NS + NT group than in the control group at d 1 and 2 (P: < 0.05). The percentages of specific brain cells containing lipofuscin were lower in NS + NT groups than in the control groups in both young and old mice (P: < 0.05). The number of monovacuoles and multiple vacuoles in specific brain regions tended to be lower (P: = 0.1-0.25) in NS + NT than in control groups, with significant differences in the microvacuoles of the middle cortex of young mice and in the multiple vacuoles in the hind cortex of old mice (P: < 0. 05). These results suggest that increased dietary NS + NT may be associated with decreases in the age-induced deterioration of brain morphology and certain memory tasks.

Determination of the Effectiveness of Components of the Herbal Medicine Toki-Shakuyaku-San and Fractions of Angelica acutiloba in Improving the Scopolamine-Induced Impairment of Rat’s Spatial Cognition in Eight-Armed Radial Maze Test

“…The activity of the butanol fraction could be attributed to its contents of b-carboline, nucleoside, and amines. We do not think that acute intake of nucleosides participate in the memory improving effects of Toki because only chronic oral administration of nucleoside, but not the acute one, is reported to be associated with a reduction in the age-related deterioration of brain morphology and memory (34). This was also the reason for not investigating the effect of nucleosides in this study.…”

Anatomical Distribution of Nucleoside System in the Human Brain and Implications for Therapy

“…Therefore, A 1 receptor antagonists are potential targets for the treatment of dementia and cognitive disorders (Table 29.2 ). Administration of a nucleosidenucleotide mixture reduced memory deterioration in elderly senescence-accelerated mice (Chen et al 2000 ) . In addition, age-dependent alterations in the adenosine system have been found (Kovács et al 2010b ;Meyer et al 2007 ) .…”

Effect of Monascus-Fermented Products on Learning and Memory in the SAMP8 Mice

“…The mice were placed individually in the box of the open field apparatus (25 ϫ 25 ϫ 25 cm 3 ) and introduced into the center of the apparatus. The open field activity was counted and recorded by the secants of locomotion for the initial 5 min and the remaining 5 min (6-10 min) ( 25 ).…”

“…The active shuttleavoidance test was conducted at the age of 3 mo, the initial stage of diet treatment, and 10 mo, according to the method of Chen et al ( 25 ). The shuttle cage (35 ϫ 17 ϫ 20 cm, width ϫ length ϫ height, respectively) (Model E10-15, Coulbourn Instruments) was divided into two equal compartments connected by a small opening (7.5 ϫ 6.5 cm).…”