title: Effect of Anserine/Carnosine Supplementation on Verbal Episodic Memory in Elderly People.
abstract: Our goal in this study was to determine whether or not anserine/carnosine supplementation (ACS) is capable of preserving cognitive function of elderly people. In a double-blind randomized controlled trial, volunteers were randomly assigned to an ACS or placebo group at a 1:1 ratio. The ACS group took 1.0 g of an anserine/carnosine (3:1) formula daily for 3 months. Participants were evaluated by psychological tests before and after the 3-month supplementation period. Thirty-nine healthy elderly volunteers (60-78 years old) completed the follow-up tests. Among the tests, delayed recall verbal memory assessed by the Wechsler Memory Scale-Logical Memory showed significant preservation in the ACS group, compared to the placebo group (p = 0.0128). Blood analysis revealed a decreased secretion of inflammatory cytokines, including CCL-2 and IL-8, in the ACS group. MRI analysis using arterial spin labeling showed a suppression in the age-related decline in brain blood flow in the posterior cingulate cortex area in the ACS group, compared to the placebo group (p = 0.0248). In another randomized controlled trial, delayed recall verbal memory showed significant preservation in the ACS group, compared to the placebo group (p = 0.0202). These results collectively suggest that ACS may preserve verbal episodic memory and brain perfusion in elderly people, although further study is needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrated Biosciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Japan.
authors.forename: Tatsuhiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hisatsune
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrated Biosciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Japan.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kaneko
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrated Biosciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kurashige
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Biochemistry, Graduate School of Agriculture and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Biochemistry, Graduate School of Agriculture and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Japan.
authors.forename: Hideo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Satsu
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Biochemistry, Graduate School of Agriculture and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Japan.
authors.forename: Mamoru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Totsuka
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Systems Life Sciences, Kyushu University, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshinori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Katakura
authors.affiliation: Integrative Brain Imaging Center (IBIC), National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Etsuko
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Imabayashi
authors.affiliation: Integrative Brain Imaging Center (IBIC), National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Matsuda
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D000861:Anserine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects; D002336:Carnosine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008297:Male; D061212:Memory, Episodic; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D014706:Verbal Learning / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D002336:Carnosine; D000861:Anserine
keywords: Alzheimer’s disease; anserine and carnosine; cognitive function; dementia; elderly people; inflammatory cytokine; perfusion MRI; randomized controlled trial; verbal memory