title: Blueberry supplementation enhances signaling and prevents behavioral deficits in an Alzheimer disease model.
abstract: Previously, we showed that blueberry (BB) supplementation reversed the deleterious effects of aging on motor behavior and neuronal signaling in senescent rodents. We now report that BB-fed (from 4 months of age) APP + PS1 transgenic mice showed no deficits in Y-maze performance (at 12 months of age) with no alterations in amyloid beta burden. It appeared that the protective mechanisms are derived from BB-induced enhancement of memory-associated neuronal signaling (e.g. extracellular signal-regulated kinase) and alterations in neutral sphingomyelin-specific phospholipase C activity. Thus, our data indicate for the first time that it may be possible to overcome genetic predispositions to Alzheimer disease through diet.
authors.affiliation: USDA-HNRCA at Tufts University, 711 Washington Street, Boston, MA 02111, USA. james.joseph@tufts.edu
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Joseph
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Denisova
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Arendash
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gordon
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Diamond
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Shukitt-Hale
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Morgan
mesh_terms: D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000032:analysis; D016564:Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D029798:Blueberry Plants; D001921:Brain / Q000201:enzymology; D004032:Diet; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005638:Fruit; D020558:GTP Phosphohydrolases / Q000378:metabolism; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D008568:Memory; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use; D053764:Presenilin-1; D011493:Protein Kinase C / Q000378:metabolism; D051571:Protein Kinase C-alpha; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013109:Sphingomyelins / Q000378:metabolism; D010738:Type C Phospholipases / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D016564:Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D010936:Plant Extracts; D053764:Presenilin-1; D013109:Sphingomyelins; C496630:Prkca protein, mouse; D011493:Protein Kinase C; D051571:Protein Kinase C-alpha; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D010738:Type C Phospholipases; D020558:GTP Phosphohydrolases