Comparing the Effects of Low-Protein and High-Carbohydrate Diets and Caloric Restriction on Brain Aging in Mice.

ABSTRACT: Calorie restriction (CR) increases lifespan and improves brain health in mice. Ad libitum low-protein, high-carbohydrate (LPHC) diets also extend lifespan, but it is not known whether they are beneficial for brain health. We compared hippocampus biology and memory in mice subjected to 20% CR or provided ad libitum access to one of three LPHC diets or to a control diet. Patterns of RNA expression in the hippocampus of 15-month-old mice were similar between mice fed CR and LPHC diets when we looked at genes associated with longevity, cytokines, and dendrite morphogenesis. Nutrient-sensing proteins, including SIRT1, mTOR, and PGC1α, were also influenced by diet; however, the effects varied by sex. CR and LPHC diets were associated with increased dendritic spines in dentate gyrus neurons. Mice

SUBMITTER: Wahl D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6296764 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature