Dietary Energy Restriction Ameliorates Cognitive Impairment in a Mouse Model of Traumatic Brain Injury

Abstract

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the most common causes of neurological damage in young people. It was previously reported that dietary restriction, by either intermittent fasting (IF) or daily caloric restriction (CR), could protect neurons against dysfunction and degeneration in animal models of stroke and Parkinson’s disease. Recently, several studies have shown that the protein Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) plays a significant role in the induced neuroprotection following dietary restriction. In the present study, we found a significant reduction of SIRT1 levels in the cortex and hippocampus in a mouse model of mild weight-drop closed head TBI. This reduction was prevented in mice maintained on IF (alternate day fasting) and CR initiated after the head trauma. Hippocampus-dependent learning and memory (measured using a novel object recognition test) was impaired 30 days post-injury in mice fed ad libitum, but not in mice in the IF and CR groups. These results suggest a clinical potential for IF and/or CR as an intervention to reduce brain damage and improve functional outcome in TBI patients.

Survival Following Traumatic Brain Injury in Drosophila Is Increased by Heterozygosity for a Mutation of the NF-κB Innate Immune Response Transcription Factor Relish

“…The importance of genetic background is hinted at but not firmly established in humans by association of DNA polymorphisms in about 20 genes with clinical pathologies and by studies in rodents showing that identical primary injures in different strains produce different outcomes (Fox et al 1999;Tan et al 2009;Dardiotis et al 2010;Hoh et al 2010;Reid et al 2010;Dalla Libera et al 2011;Al Nimer et al 2013;Failla et al 2015). Diet also affects the risk of mortality in TBI patients as well as other outcomes in rodent TBI models (Davis et al 2008;Härtl et al 2008;Greco and Prins 2013;Rubovitch et al 2019;Shaito et al 2020). In addition to reducing mortality, heterozygosity for Rel del significantly rescued the shortened lifespan after TBI in both sexes and extended the lifespan of uninjured female flies ( Figure 5).…”

Nutritional interventions to improve neurophysiological impairments following traumatic brain injury: A systematic review

“… natural compounds with known anti‐oxidant properties (Cheng et al., 2016; Itoh et al., 2013; Ji et al., 2017; Jiang et al., 2017; Krishna et al., 2019; Ozbal et al., 2015; Toklu et al., 2009; Wei et al., 2015); branched chain amino acids (BCAA) (Cole et al., 2010; Elliott et al., 2018; Lim et al., 2013); creatine (Gerbatin et al., 2019; Saraiva et al., 2012); fasting and caloric restriction (Davis et al., 2008; Liu et al., 2017; Rubovitch et al., 2019); KD (Deng‐Bryant et al., 2011; Greco et al., 2016; Hu, Wang, Jin, et al., 2009; Hu, Wang, Qiao, et al., 2009; Prins et al., 2005; Prins & Hovda, 2009; Schwartzkroin et al., 2010; Zhang et al., 2018); multi‐supplements (Thau‐Zuchman et al., 2019; Wu et al., 2014); ω‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) (Bailes & Mills, 2010; Mills et al., 2011; Schober et al., 2016; Shin & Dixon, 2011; Su et al., 2016; Wu et al., 2011; Zhu et al., 2017); or natural compounds used in traditional eastern medicine (Kumar et al., 2014; Özevren et al., 2018; Sharma et al., 2010; Wang et al., 2018; Wang, Fan, et al, 2016; Wang, Zhang, et al, 2016; Xie et al., 2018; Xing et al., 2016; Zhao et al., 2014). …”

“…Two studies investigated fasting and caloric restriction in isolation (Davis et al, 2008;Liu et al, 2017), while a third study evaluated both interventions to determine if one was more efficacious post-TBI (Rubovitch et al, 2019). Rats that were acutely fasted for 24 hr after induction of moderate TBI demonstrated increased tissue sparing along with reduced oxidative stress and cellular energy imbalance compared to controls (Davis et al, 2008 (Liu et al, 2017).…”

Studying the Relationship of Intermittent Fasting and β-Amyloid in Animal Model of Alzheimer’s Disease: A Scoping Review

“…Recent studies have indicated that intermittent fasting showed promising protective effects against neurodegeneration. Despite significant amelioration observed in animal models of Parkinson’s disease (PD), Huntington’s disease (HD), and traumatic brain injury (TBI) following dietary intermittent protocols [ 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 ], little is known of the outcome in AD, more specifically on β-amyloid in AD brain. AD is characterized by progressive cognitive dysfunction and is diagnosed based on the definitive hallmark presence of β-amyloid plaque and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain [ 17 , 18 ].…”