Nutraceuticals counteract memory decline in murine models of aging

Cognitive decline is a major disability during aging and, due to the global increase in lifespan, the proportion of people affected is expected to grow. The lack of target-specific drugs has shifted the attention to natural products as an appealing alternative. Notwithstanding the interest of the scientific community, the mechanisms of action of these compounds are still poorly understood and sound evidence is needed to support their use. Animal models have been successfully used to assess safety and efficacy of natural compounds. Through a systematic search, we sought to investigate the effects of nutraceuticals on: a. “natural aging” (mice older than 15 months); b. chemically-induced aging (e.g.: D-Galactose or scopolamine) or c. genetically selected lines (e.g.: SAMP8). In particular, we focused on the specific aspect of memory retention as assessed by means of the Morris water maze, that is one of the most widely used and reliable tests for spatial memory in rodents. Results show that natural compounds are effective in improving cognitive abilities in the three types of mouse models selected. The observed positive effects were independent from the nature of the substance, the route of administration and treatment duration. This suggests that common mechanisms, impinging upon cellular mechanisms underlying resistance to stress, characterize the efficacy of natural compounds. Our group is now investigating key questions related to dose-dependency of effects and sex/gender differences in efficacy. Funding: H2020 AwE ‘‘Ageing with Elegans’’ [grant-agreement N. 633589].