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Dietary Factors and Interventions for Neurodegenerative Diseases

A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Nutrition and Public Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 September 2024 | Viewed by 1917

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
Interests: neuroimaging; cognitive neuroscience; dietary and nutrition; neurobiology and brain physiology; neurodegenerative diseases; functional neuroscience; behavioral neuroscience; executive function; memory; neurodegeneration
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Nutrition is an important lifestyle factor that can reduce the risk of future cognitive impairment and various neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and AD-related dementias. Dietary interventions may be a useful approach to slow down cognitive decline or cognitive impairment across the spectrum for AD and other dementias. To date, in older adults, certain nutrients like folate, vitamin E, and Ω-3 fatty acids and food groups like seafood, vegetables, and fruits have shown promising associations with cognitive outcomes or results in randomized clinical trials.

This Special Issue, "Dietary Factors and Interventions for Neurodegenerative Diseases", focuses on how diet or nutritional components are related to cognitive decline, cognitive impairment, and the risk or age of onset of dementia. Basic, translational, and/or clinical research is welcome. We will consider different types of manuscript submissions, including original research articles and up-to-date reviews (systematic reviews and meta-analyses).

Dr. Auriel Willette
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nutrients is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • dietary intervention
  • dietary patterns
  • cognitive neuroscience
  • dementia
  • Alzheimer’s disease

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 3497 KiB  
Article
Vitamin B6, B12, and Folate’s Influence on Neural Networks in the UK Biobank Cohort
by Tianqi Li, Juan Pedro Steibel and Auriel A. Willette
Nutrients 2024, 16(13), 2050; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16132050 - 27 Jun 2024
Viewed by 413
Abstract
Background: One-carbon metabolism coenzymes may influence brain aging in cognitively unimpaired adults. Methods: Baseline data were used from the UK Biobank cohort. Estimated intake of vitamin B6, B12, and folate was regressed onto neural network functional connectivity in five resting-state neural networks. Linear [...] Read more.
Background: One-carbon metabolism coenzymes may influence brain aging in cognitively unimpaired adults. Methods: Baseline data were used from the UK Biobank cohort. Estimated intake of vitamin B6, B12, and folate was regressed onto neural network functional connectivity in five resting-state neural networks. Linear mixed models tested coenzyme main effects and interactions with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) risk factors. Results: Increased B6 and B12 estimated intake were linked with less functional connectivity in most networks, including the posterior portion of the Default Mode Network. Conversely, higher folate was related to more connectivity in similar networks. AD family history modulated these associations: Increased estimated intake was positively associated with stronger connectivity in the Primary Visual Network and Posterior Default Mode Network in participants with an AD family history. In contrast, increased vitamin B12 estimated intake was associated with less connectivity in the Primary Visual Network and the Cerebello–Thalamo–Cortical Network in those without an AD family history. Conclusions: The differential patterns of association between B vitamins and resting-state brain activity may be important in understanding AD-related changes in the brain. Notably, AD family history appears to play a key role in modulating these relationships. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dietary Factors and Interventions for Neurodegenerative Diseases)
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35 pages, 5671 KiB  
Article
Supplementation of Seaweed Extracts to the Diet Reduces Symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease in the APPswePS1ΔE9 Mouse Model
by Nikita Martens, Na Zhan, Sammie C. Yam, Frank P. J. Leijten, Marcella Palumbo, Martien Caspers, Assia Tiane, Silvia Friedrichs, Yanlin Li, Leonie van Vark-van der Zee, Gardi Voortman, Francesca Zimetti, Dick Jaarsma, Lars Verschuren, Johan W. Jonker, Folkert Kuipers, Dieter Lütjohann, Tim Vanmierlo and Monique T. Mulder
Nutrients 2024, 16(11), 1614; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16111614 - 25 May 2024
Viewed by 696
Abstract
We previously demonstrated that diet supplementation with seaweed Sargassum fusiforme (S. fusiforme) prevented AD-related pathology in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). Here, we tested a lipid extract of seaweed Himanthalia elongata (H. elongata) and a supercritical fluid [...] Read more.
We previously demonstrated that diet supplementation with seaweed Sargassum fusiforme (S. fusiforme) prevented AD-related pathology in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). Here, we tested a lipid extract of seaweed Himanthalia elongata (H. elongata) and a supercritical fluid (SCF) extract of S. fusiforme that is free of excess inorganic arsenic. Diet supplementation with H. elongata extract prevented cognitive deterioration in APPswePS1ΔE9 mice. Similar trends were observed for the S. fusiforme SCF extract. The cerebral amyloid-β plaque load remained unaffected. However, IHC analysis revealed that both extracts lowered glial markers in the brains of APPswePS1ΔE9 mice. While cerebellar cholesterol concentrations remained unaffected, both extracts increased desmosterol, an endogenous LXR agonist with anti-inflammatory properties. Both extracts increased cholesterol efflux, and particularly, H. elongata extract decreased the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in LPS-stimulated THP-1-derived macrophages. Additionally, our findings suggest a reduction of AD-associated phosphorylated tau and promotion of early oligodendrocyte differentiation by H. elongata. RNA sequencing on the hippocampus of one-week-treated APPswePS1ΔE9 mice revealed effects of H. elongata on, amongst others, acetylcholine and synaptogenesis signaling pathways. In conclusion, extracts of H. elongata and S. fusiforme show potential to reduce AD-related pathology in APPswePS1ΔE9 mice. Increasing desmosterol concentrations may contribute to these effects by dampening neuroinflammation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dietary Factors and Interventions for Neurodegenerative Diseases)
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15 pages, 7606 KiB  
Article
New Value of Acorus tatarinowii/gramineus Leaves as a Dietary Source for Dementia Prevention
by Tomohiro Umeda, Ayumi Sakai, Keiko Shigemori, Kunio Nakata, Ryota Nakajima, Kei Yamana and Takami Tomiyama
Nutrients 2024, 16(11), 1589; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16111589 - 23 May 2024
Viewed by 571
Abstract
The rhizomes of Acorus tatarinowii Schott and Acorus gramineus Solander are widely used for treating amnesia in traditional Chinese medicine. In contrast, their leaves are usually discarded without their medicinal properties being known. Here, we found that the hot water extract of leaves [...] Read more.
The rhizomes of Acorus tatarinowii Schott and Acorus gramineus Solander are widely used for treating amnesia in traditional Chinese medicine. In contrast, their leaves are usually discarded without their medicinal properties being known. Here, we found that the hot water extract of leaves improved cognition and tau pathology in model mice of frontotemporal dementia, similar to or even better than that of rhizomes. To explore the optimal method of processing, we made three preparations from dried leaves: hot water extract, extraction residue, and non-extracted simple crush powder. Among them, the simple crush powder had the strongest effect on tauopathy in mice. The crush powder also ameliorated Aβ and α-synuclein pathologies and restored cognition in mouse models of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia with Lewy bodies. These findings suggest the potential of Acorus tatarinowii/gramineus leaves as a dietary source for dementia prevention and reveal that simple crushing is a better way to maximize their efficacy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dietary Factors and Interventions for Neurodegenerative Diseases)
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