BEER FLAVANOID HELPS YOUNG ANIMALS THINK
Xanthohumol, a type of
flavonoid found in hops and beer, has been shown in a new study to improve
cognitive function in young mice, but not in older animals.
The research was just
published in Behavioral Brain Research by scientists from the
Linus Pauling Institute and College of Veterinary Medicine at Oregon State
University. It's another step toward understanding, and ultimately reducing the
degradation of memory that happens with age in many mammalian species, including
humans.
Flavonoids are
compounds found in plants that often give them their color. The study of them
-- whether in blueberries, dark chocolate or red wine -- has increased in
recent years due to their apparent nutritional benefits, on issues ranging from
cancer to inflammation or cardiovascular disease. Several have also been shown
to be important in cognition.
Xanthohumol has been
of particular interest because of possible value in treating metabolic
syndrome, a condition associated with obesity, high blood pressure and other
concerns, including age-related deficits in memory. The compound has been used
successfully to lower body weight and blood sugar in a rat model of obesity.
The new research
studied use of xanthohumol in high dosages, far beyond what could be obtained
just by diet. At least in young animals, it appeared to enhance their ability
to adapt to changes in the environment. This cognitive flexibility was tested
with a special type of maze designed for that purpose.
"Our goal was to
determine whether xanthohumol could affect a process we call palmitoylation,
which is a normal biological process but in older animals may become
harmful," said Daniel Zamzow, a former OSU doctoral student and now a
lecturer at the University of Wisconsin/Rock County.
"Xanthohumol can
speed the metabolism, reduce fatty acids in the liver and, at least with young
mice, appeared to improve their cognitive flexibility, or higher level
thinking," Zamzow said. "Unfortunately it did not reduce
palmitoylation in older mice, or improve their learning or cognitive
performance, at least in the amounts of the compound we gave them."
Kathy Magnusson, a
professor in the OSU Department of Biomedical Sciences, principal investigator
with the Linus Pauling Institute and corresponding author on this study, said
that xanthohumol continues to be of significant interest for its biological
properties, as are many other flavonoids.
"This flavonoid
and others may have a function in the optimal ability to form memories,"
Magnusson said. "Part of what this study seems to be suggesting is that
it's important to begin early in life to gain the full benefits of healthy
nutrition."
It's also important to
note, Magnusson said, that the levels of xanthohumol used in this study were
only possible with supplements. As a fairly rare micronutrient, the only normal
dietary source of it would be through the hops used in making beer, and "a
human would have to drink 2000 liters of beer a day to reach the xanthohumol
levels we used in this research."
In this and other research,
Magnusson's research has primarily focused on two subunits of the NMDA
receptor, called GluN1 and GluN2B. Their decline with age appears to be related
to the decreased ability to form and quickly recall memories.
In humans, many adults
start to experience deficits in memory around the age of 50, and some aspects
of cognition begin to decline around age 40, the researchers noted in their
report.
This research was
supported by the National Institutes of Health.
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