Long-term effects of "food" in childhood on post-growth behavior and the central nervous system

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K20114
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 59040:Nutrition science and health science-related
• Research Institution: Nara Women's University (2019-2021, 2023); Nara Medical University (2022)
• Principal Investigator: Mannari Takayo 奈良女子大学, 大和・紀伊半島学研究所, 協力研究員 (90805128)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 加圧加熱処理 / トリプトファン / セロトニン / 社会性行動 / 幼少期の食環境

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Autoclave sterilization is a common food processing technique to increase shelf life of foods. However, there is a paucity of data on the implications of long-term intake of autoclaved foods on health. In this study, we hypothesized that long-term intake of autoclaved protein after weaning until adulthood affects social behaviors. Four-week-old C57BL/6J mice received experimental diet containing 20% by weight of autoclaved soy protein isolate (A-SPI). These mice were subjected to behavioral tests including the three-chamber social test. Plasma tryptophan (TRP) and serotonin concentrations were measured. A-SPI showed impaired social novelty recognition, while there were no significant differences in sociability. Plasma concentrations of TRP and serotonin in A-SPI was significantly lower than those in NA-SPI. Thus, autoclaving treatment of SPI decreases bioavailability of TRP and causes TRP-deficiency-like symptoms in mice despite intake of adequate amounts of TRP in protein.

Free Research Field

食品栄養学、脳神経科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

飽食の時代である現代において、「何をどれだけ食べるのか」という問いは、我々にとって非常に重要な課題である。市販されている離乳食にも使用される加圧加熱処理食品は、幼児期から長期的に摂取する可能性が高い。本研究の成果は、幼児期からの加圧加熱処理タンパク質の長期摂取が潜在的なトリプトファン欠乏を引き起こし、社会性行動の異常を明らかにした。これらの結果は、現代社会における食の安全性や摂取方法を考える上で非常に重要な知見である。