title: Vitamin D2-enriched button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) improves memory in both wild type and APPswe/PS1dE9 transgenic mice.
abstract: Vitamin D deficiency is widespread, affecting over 30% of adult Australians, and increasing up to 80% for at-risk groups including the elderly (age>65). The role for Vitamin D in development of the central nervous system is supported by the association between Vitamin D deficiency and incidence of neurological and psychiatric disorders including Alzheimer's disease (AD). A reported positive relationship between Vitamin D status and cognitive performance suggests that restoring Vitamin D status might provide a cognitive benefit to those with Vitamin D deficiency. Mushrooms are a rich source of ergosterol, which can be converted to Vitamin D2 by treatment with UV light, presenting a new and convenient dietary source of Vitamin D2. We hypothesised that Vitamin D2-enriched mushrooms (VDM) could prevent the cognitive and pathological abnormalities associated with dementia. Two month old wild type (B6C3) and AD transgenic (APPSwe/PS1dE9) mice were fed a diet either deficient in Vitamin D2 or a diet which was supplemented with VDM, containing 1±0.2 µg/kg (∼54 IU/kg) vitamin D2, for 7 months. Effects of the dietary intervention on memory were assessed pre- and post-feeding. Brain sections were evaluated for amyloid β (Aβ) plaque loads and inflammation biomarkers using immuno-histochemical methods. Plasma vitamin D metabolites, Aβ40, Aβ42, calcium, protein and cholesterol were measured using biochemical assays. Compared with mice on the control diet, VDM-fed wild type and AD transgenic mice displayed improved learning and memory, had significantly reduced amyloid plaque load and glial fibrillary acidic protein, and elevated interleukin-10 in the brain. The results suggest that VDM might provide a dietary source of Vitamin D2 and other bioactives for preventing memory-impairment in dementia. This study supports the need for a randomised clinical trial to determine whether or not VDM consumption can benefit cognitive performance in the wider population.
authors.affiliation: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation Preventative Health Flagship, Animal, Food and Health Sciences, Werribee, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Louise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bennett
authors.forename: Cindy
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kersaitis
authors.forename: Stuart Lance
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Macaulay
authors.forename: Gerald
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Münch
authors.forename: Garry
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Niedermayer
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nigro
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Payne
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sheean
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vallotton
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zabaras
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bird
mesh_terms: D000364:Agaricus / Q000737:chemistry*; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004872:Ergocalciferols / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D007249:Inflammation / Q000378:metabolism; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D058225:Plaque, Amyloid; D013997:Time Factors; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D016207:Cytokines; D004872:Ergocalciferols; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D014807:Vitamin D; D002784:Cholesterol; D002118:Calcium