APPLE JUICE STIMULATES ORGANIZED SYNAPTIC ACTIVITY IN CULTURED CORTICAL NEURONS

作者：Serra Michael; Shea Thomas B^*

来源：Current Topics in Nutraceutical Research, 2009, 7(2): 93-96.

• Apple Juice
• Cortical Neuron
• Culture
• Synaptic Signaling
• Inhibitory Neuron
• Bicuculline
• Multi-Electrode Arrays

Supplementation with certain fruits and vegetables can improve cognition. Prior studies demonstrated that apple juice concentrate (AJC) improved cognitive performance and increased acetylcholine levels in brain tissue of mice. To determine whether or not AJC stimulated synaptic activity, cortical neurons of embryonic mice cultured on multi-electrode arrays received 0.1% AJC diluted in culture medium. AJC did not alter overall signaling, but fostered an organization of signals into less frequent and longer "bursts" of activity. These effects were attenuated by the inhibitory neuron antagonist biruculline, indicating that AJC modulated signaling patterns by stimulation activity of inhibitory neurons. Since a balance between excitatory and inhibitory neuronal functions is an essential element of brain function, AJC may foster improved cognition at least in part by stimulation of inhibitory activity in situ. Culturing of neurons on multi-electrode arrays may be useful to study detailed aspects of nutrition on signaling.

• 出版日期2009-5