title: Plant-derived flavanol (-)epicatechin enhances angiogenesis and retention of spatial memory in mice.
abstract: Diet and exercise have a profound impact on brain function. In particular, natural nutrients found in plants may influence neuronal survival and plasticity. Here, we tested whether consumption of a plant-derived flavanol, (-)epicatechin, enhances cognition in sedentary or wheel-running female C57BL/6 mice. Retention of spatial memory in the water maze was enhanced by ingestion of (-)epicatechin, especially in combination with exercise. Improved spatial memory was associated with increased angiogenesis and neuronal spine density, but not newborn cell survival, in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus. Moreover, microarray analysis showed upregulation of genes associated with learning and downregulation of markers of neurodegeneration in the hippocampus. Together, our data show that ingestion of a single flavanol improves spatial memory retention in adult mammals.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Genetics, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California 92037, USA.
authors.forename: Henriette
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: van Praag
authors.forename: Melanie J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Lucero
authors.forename: Gene W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Yeo
authors.forename: Kimberly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Stecker
authors.forename: Neema
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Heivand
authors.forename: Chunmei
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Ed
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Yip
authors.forename: Mia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Afanador
authors.forename: Hagen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schroeter
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hammerstone
authors.forename: Fred H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Gage
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002392:Catechin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D044950:Flavanones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D010805:Physical Conditioning, Animal / Q000502:physiology; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D013037:Spatial Behavior / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D044950:Flavanones; D010936:Plant Extracts; D002392:Catechin