Antioxidants in the canine model of human aging.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to determine whether a diet rich in antioxidants could improve cognition, reduce oxidative damage, and mitigate Aβ pathology in aging beagles as a model for human brain aging and Alzheimer's disease.
Results Summary
The study found that a diet rich in antioxidants improved cognition, maintained cognitive function, reduced oxidative damage, and decreased Aβ pathology in aging beagles. These results suggest potential benefits for human brain aging and Alzheimer's disease prevention.
Population
Aging beagles (canine model for Alzheimer's disease-like neuropathology and cognitive dysfunction).
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
Longitudinal study (duration not specified)
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
antioxidants | neutral | brain aging | - | - | may be beneficial | #1 |
antioxidants | neutral | AD | - | - | may be beneficial | #2 |
a diet rich in antioxidants | increase | cognition | aging beagles | - | improved | #3 |
a diet rich in antioxidants | no change | cognition | aging beagles | - | maintained | #4 |
a diet rich in antioxidants | decrease | oxidative damage | aging beagles | - | reduced | #5 |
a diet rich in antioxidants | decrease | Aβ pathology | aging beagles | - | reduced | #6 |
Oxidative damage can lead to neuronal dysfunction in the brain due to modifications to proteins, lipids and DNA/RNA. In both human and canine brain, oxidative damage progressively increases with age. In the Alzheimer's disease (AD) brain, oxidative damage is further exacerbated, possibly due to increased deposition of beta-amyloid (Aβ) peptide in senile plaques. These observations have led to the hypothesis that antioxidants may be beneficial for brain aging and AD. Aged dogs naturally develop AD-like neuropathology (Aβ) and cognitive dysfunction and are a useful animal model in which to test antioxidants. In a longitudinal study of aging beagles, a diet rich in antioxidants improved cognition, maintained cognition and reduced oxidative damage and Aβ pathology in treated animals. These data suggest that antioxidants may be beneficial for human brain aging and for AD, particularly as a preventative intervention. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Antioxidants and Antioxidant Treatment in Disease.