Hunger in the Absence of Caloric Restriction Improves Cognition and Attenuates Alzheimer%26apos;s Disease Pathology in a Mouse Model

作者：Dhurandhar Emily J; Allison David B; van Groen Thomas; Kadish Inga^*

来源：PLos One, 2013, 8(4): e60437.

DOI：10.1371/journal.pone.0060437

It has been shown that caloric restriction (CR) delays aging and possibly delays the development of Alzheimer%26apos;s disease (AD). We conjecture that the mechanism may involve interoceptive cues, rather than reduced energy intake per se. We determined that hunger alone, induced by a ghrelin agonist, reduces AD pathology and improves cognition in the APP-SwDI mouse model of AD. Long-term treatment with a ghrelin agonist was sufficient to improve the performance in the water maze. The treatment also reduced levels of amyloid beta (Ab) and inflammation (microglial activation) at 6 months of age compared to the control group, similar to the effect of CR. Thus, a hunger-inducing drug attenuates AD pathology, in the absence of CR, and the neuroendocrine aspects of hunger also prevent age-related cognitive decline.

• 出版日期2013-4-2