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Reduced cognitive function, increased blood-brain-barrier transport and inflammatory responses, and altered brain metabolites in LDLr -/-and C57BL/6 mice fed a western diet
The purpose of this 2018 study was to determine if a western diet changes brain metabolism, increases blood-brain barrier (BBB) transport and inflammation, and induces cognitive impairment in C57BL/6 (WT) mice and low-density lipoprotein receptor null (LDLr -/-) mice (a model of hyperlipidemia and cognitive decline). Cognitive processes (assessed by Y-maze and radial arm water maze) were influenced moderately by the western diet and LDLr -/-. The western diet induced increases in BBB transport, microvessel factor VIII levels (in the LDLr -/- mice) and microglia IBA1 staining (in WT mice), both indicating activation and neuroinflammation. The LDLr -/- mice had a significant increase in 18F- fluorodeoxyglucose uptake irrespective of diet, while brain 1H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy revealed increased lactate and lipid moieties. Rutkowsky et al. (2018) also discovered that a western diet altered brain TCA cycle and β-oxidation intermediates, levels of amino acids, and complex lipid levels and elevated proinflammatory lipid mediators, shown by the GC/MS and LC/MS/MS metabolic assessments of whole mouse brain. This study thus uncovered evidence that the western diet has multiple effects on brain metabolism, physiology, and altered cognitive function that likely manifest via multiple cellular pathways. [NPID: brain, inflammation, cognition, cognitive decline, neuroinflammation]
Year: 2018
