ABSTRACT
To understand some of the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the effects of antioxidants/ micronutrients on the maintenance and improvement of cognitive function, we used the canine model of human aging. Aging canines develop aspects of neuropathology and cognitive dysfunction similar to those seen in humans, including beta-amyloid (Aβ) deposition, oxidative stress, and learning and memory impairments [5,7,8]. We describe a longitudinal study in the aging canine that investigated the effects of an intervention with a diet fortied with a broad range of micronutrient antioxidants, a behavioral enrichment paradigm, or a combination of both. We observed a signicant reduction in the levels of oxidative damage, an increase in the expression and activity of endogenous antioxidants, and a reduction in Aβ deposition in the canine brain [9,10]. These neurobiological outcomes were correlated with improvement and maintenance in cognition as detected by a wide range of tasks in the aging canine. As a result, the current study suggests that the combination of an antioxidant diet that includes micronutrients and behavioral enrichment may improve neuronal function and could be benecial to the ever-growing aging human population.
