Citation

Krishna G, Ying Z, Gomez-Pinilla F. Mol. Nutr. Food Res. 2019; 63(15): e1801055.

Affiliation

F. Gomez-Pinilla, Department of Neurosurgery, UCLA Brain Injury Research Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Wiley-VCH)

DOI

10.1002/mnfr.201801055

PMID

31115168

Abstract

SCOPE: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) compromises neuronal function required for hippocampal synaptic plasticity and cognitive function. Despite the high consumption of blueberries, information about its effects on brain plasticity and function under conditions of brain trauma is limited. We assessed the efficacy of dietary blueberry (BB) supplementation to mitigate the effects of TBI on plasticity markers and associated behavioural function in a rodent model of concussive injury.

METHODS AND RESULTS: Rats were maintained on a diet supplemented with blueberry (BB, 5% w/w) for 2 weeks after TBI. We found that that BB supplementation mitigated a loss of spatial learning and memory performance after TBI, and reduced the effects of TBI on anxiety-like behaviour. BB supplementation prevented a reduction of molecules associated with the BDNF system action on learning and memory such as cyclic-AMP response element binding factor (CREB), calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII). In addition, BB supplementation reversed an increase of the lipid peroxidation by product 4-hydroxy-nonenal (4-HNE) after TBI. Importantly, synaptic and neuronal signaling regulators changed in proportion with the memory performance suggesting an association between plasticity markers and behaviour.

CONCLUSION: Our data indicate that BB supplementation has a beneficial value for mitigating the acute aspects of the TBI pathology. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

Blueberry, traumatic brain injury, plasticity, brain-derived neurotrophic factor; oxidative stress, cognition