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P2–403: A diet rich in figs improves memory and learning in Alzheimer's disease transgenic (APPSw 2576) mice

2013; Wiley; Volume: 9; Issue: 4S_Part_12 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/j.jalz.2013.05.1053

1552-5279

Musthafa Mohamed Essa, Ahood Al‐Jabri, Selvaraju Subash, Samir Al‐Adawi, Hamed Al‐Senawi, Abdullah Al‐Asmi, Zayana Al‐Buraiki, Maha Samuoi, Ragini Vaishnav,

African Botany and Ecology Studies

Transgenic (tg) mice with amyloid precursor protein (APP) gene mutation show amyloid beta-protein (Aβ) deposition in brain and memory deficit, and serve as an animal model of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Several reports have suggested neurotoxic effects of Aβ and role of oxidative stress in AD. Figs are richest in fiber, copper, iron, manganese, magnesium, potassium, calcium, vitamin K and good sources of anti-oxidant properties. We studied the effect of dietary supplementation of figs on the memory, anxiety and learning skills in AD mouse model. Four months old mice with double Swedish APP mutation (APPsw/Tg2576) were purchased from Taconic Farm, USA. The experimental groups of APP-transgenic mice from the age of 4 months were fed custom-mix diets (pellets) containing 4% figs. These experimental and control mice were examined at the age of 4–5 months and 10–11 months by Morris water maze test (for spatial memory & learning ability), T maze test (for position discrimination learning ability), rota rod test (for psychomotor coordination), elevated plus maze test (for anxiety-related behavior) and open field test to analyze the effect of diet rich in figs on memory, anxiety and learning skills. APPsw/Tg2576 at the age of 4–5 months and 10–11 months that were fed control diet without figs showed memory deficit, anxiety-related behavior, and severe impairment in spatial learning ability, position discrimination learning ability and motor coordination compared to the wild type mice on the same diet. Diets rich in 4% figs when fed to tg mice showed a significant improvement above factors compared to the AD tg mice on diet without figs. Our results suggest that dietary supplementation of figs may have the beneficial effect in reducing the risk, delaying the onset or slowing the progression of Alzheimer's disease and also our results suggest that further studies needed to validate and determine the mechanism of action of these fruits against AD.