Association between Alzheimer's disease and diabetes mellitus - Prevention of Alzheimer's disease using polyunsaturated fatty acid

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K07746
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Food science
• Research Institution: Nihon University
• Principal Investigator: HOSONO Takashi 日本大学, 生物資源科学部, 講師 (80445741)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 多価不飽和脂肪酸 / 肥満 / 高脂肪食 / ラード / 魚油 / アルツハイマー病 / 認知機能低下

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we first confirmed whether Fish oil-containing high-fat diet (FOD) prevents diet-induced obesity. FOD significantly suppressed body weight gain compared to lard-containing high-fat diet (LD). Next, using Alzheimer's disease model mice (AD mice), the relationship between obesity and cognitive function was evaluated by a novel object recognition test. Body weight in LD-fed AD mice increased, and cognitive dysfunction also impaired than chow-fed AD mice. On the other hand, in FOD-fed AD mice, body weight gain and cognitive dysfunction were suppressed more than in LD-fed AD mice. These results suggest that improvement in obesity prevents cognitive dysfunction due to Alzheimer's disease.

Free Research Field

栄養学、食品科学、神経科学、細胞生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

アルツハイマー病は有効な治療法が存在しない病気であることから、その予防法の開発が重要である。本研究の結果、肥満がアルツハイマー病による認知機能低下を悪化させること、多価不飽和脂肪酸による肥満の改善が認知機能低下を予防できる可能性が明らかとなった。今後は、肥満がどのようなメカニズムで認知機能低下を引き起こすのか解明することで、アルツハイマー病予防法の確立にむけた研究に発展させていきたい。