In vivo and in vitro effects of fructose on rat brain acetylcholinesterase activity: an ontogenetic study

Cerebrovascular alterations in NAFLD: Is it increasing our risk of Alzheimer's disease?

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a multisystem disease, which has been classified as an emerging epidemic not only confined to liver-related morbidity and mortality. It is also becoming apparent that NAFLD is associated with moderate cerebral dysfunction and cognitive decline. A possible link between NAFLD and Alzheimer's disease (AD) has only recently been proposed due to the multiple shared genes and pathological mechanisms contributing to the development of these conditions. Although AD is a progressive neurodegenerative disease, the exact pathophysiological mechanism remains ambiguous and similarly to NAFLD, currently available pharmacological therapies have mostly failed in clinical trials. In addition to the usual suspects (inflammation, oxidative stress, blood-brain barrier alterations and ageing) that could contribute to the NAFLD-induced development and progression of AD, changes in the vasculature, cerebral perfusion and waste clearance could be the missing link between these two diseases. Here, we review the most recent literature linking NAFLD and AD, focusing on cerebrovascular alterations and the brain's clearance system as risk factors involved in the development and progression of AD, with the aim of promoting further research using neuroimaging techniques and new mechanism-based therapeutic interventions.

Protective effect of Curcuma amada acetone extract against high-fat and high-sugar diet-induced obesity and memory impairment

Objectives: Curcuma amada Roxb. (Mango ginger) was evaluated for anti-obesity, anti-amnesic and neuroprotection using high-fat and high-sugar diet (HFHS)-induced obesity and cognitive impairment in rats. Methods: Animals were exposed to HFHS diet to evaluate lipid parameters and subjected to Y maze test and Pole climbing test to evaluate the memory. In addition, oxidative stress parameters, acetyl cholinesterase activity (AChE), neurochemicals and histopathology were assessed in the brain. Results: HFHS diet led to increased body weight and lipid parameters (total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein [LDL], and very low-density lipoprotein [VLDL], triglycerides [TG]) but not high-density lipoprotein (HDL). Elevated serum glutamate oxalate transaminase (SGOT) and serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (SGPT), oxidative biomarker, decreased enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants, Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity and reduced percentage of spontaneous alternation behaviour (% SAB in Y-maze test) as well as reduced serotonin and dopamine levels and neurodegeneration were observed in HFHS diet-fed rats. Curcuma amada (CAAE1, 100 mg/kg and CAAE2, 300 mg/kg) treatment to HFHS diet-fed rats (21 days after HFHS diet feeding alone) showed dose-dependent activity and ameliorated the HFHS diet-induced alterations in lipid parameters related to obesity, hepatological parameters, memory, oxidative stress, neurochemicals and neurodegeneration. Furthermore, 300 mg/kg of C. amada (CAAE2) augmented the memory by inhibiting acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity; it also ameliorated the effect of antioxidants such as glutathione, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and total thiol and mitigated the effect of malondialdehyde (MDA). CAAE2 also controlled the level of dopamine and serotonin and reduced the neurodegeneration in the hippocampus CA1 region. Discussion: The results of the present study indicated that treatment with C. amada 300 mg/kg (CAAE2) attenuated the HFHS diet-induced obesity, memory loss, oxidative stress, and neurodegeneration. These study results indicated that the administration of C. amada offers a potential treatment option for obesity and memory loss, and it requires further preclinical and clinical evaluations.

Depression and Cognitive Impairment-Extrahepatic Manifestations of NAFLD and NASH

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and its complication non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) are important causes of liver disease worldwide. Recently, a significant association between these hepatic diseases and different central nervous system (CNS) disorders has been observed in an increasing number of patients. NAFLD-related CNS dysfunctions include cognitive impairment, hippocampal-dependent memory impairment, and mood imbalances (in particular, depression and anxiety). This review aims at summarizing the main correlations observed between NAFLD development and these CNS dysfunctions, focusing on the studies investigating the mechanism(s) involved in this association. Growing evidences point at cerebrovascular alteration, neuroinflammation, and brain insulin resistance as NAFLD/NASH-related CNS manifestations. Since the pharmacological options available for the management of these conditions are still limited, further studies are needed to unravel the mechanism(s) of NAFLD/NASH and their central manifestations and identify effective pharmacological targets.

Neutrotoxic effects of fructose administration in rat brain: implications for fructosemia

Fructose accumulates in tissue and body fluids of patients affected by hereditary fructose intolerance (HFI), a disorder caused by the deficiency of aldolase B. We investigated the effect of acute fructose administration on the biochemical profile and on the activities of the Krebs cycle enzymes in the cerebral cortex of young rats. Rats received a subcutaneous injection of NaCl (0.9 %; control group) or fructose solution (5 μmol/g; treated group). Twelve or 24 h after the administration, the animals were euthanized and the cerebral cortices were isolated. Peripheral blood (to obtain the serum) and cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) from the animals were also collected. It was observed that albumin levels were decreased and cholesterol levels were increased in CSF of animals 12 h after the administration of fructose. In addition, serum lactate levels were increased 12 h after the administration, as compared to control group. Furthermore, malate dehydrogenase activity was increased in cerebral cortex from treated group 24 h after the administration of this carbohydrate. Herein we demonstrate that fructose administration alters biochemical parameters in CSF and serum and bioenergetics parameters in the cerebral cortex. These findings indicate a possible role of fructose on brain alterations found in HFI patients.