Blueberry Supplementation Mitigates Altered Brain Plasticity and Behavior after Traumatic Brain Injury in Rats

• Published in: Molecular nutrition & food research 2019-08, Vol.63 (15), p.e1801055-n/a
• Main Authors: Krishna, Gokul, Ying, Zhe, Gomez‐Pinilla, Fernando
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: AMP; Animals; Anxiety; Behavior, Animal; Behavioral plasticity; Biomarkers - metabolism; Blueberries; Blueberry Plants; Body Weight; Brain; Brain - drug effects; Brain - physiology; Brain Injuries, Traumatic - diet therapy; Brain Injuries, Traumatic - physiopathology; Brain-derived neurotrophic factor; Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor - metabolism; Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II; Calcium; Calcium-binding protein; Calmodulin; cognition; Cognitive ability; Cyclic AMP response element-binding protein; Diet; Dietary Supplements; Eating; Head injuries; Hippocampal plasticity; Hippocampus; Kinases; Learning; Lipid peroxidation; Lipids; Male; Markers; Memory; Neuronal Plasticity - drug effects; Neuronal Plasticity - physiology; oxidative stress; Oxidative Stress - drug effects; Oxidative Stress - physiology; Peroxidation; Plasticity; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Regulators; Spatial discrimination learning; Spatial memory; Synaptic plasticity; traumatic brain injuries; Traumatic brain injury
• ISSN: 1613-4125; 1613-4133; 1613-4133
• DOI: 10.1002/mnfr.201801055

Scope Traumatic brain injury (TBI) compromises neuronal function required for hippocampal synaptic plasticity and cognitive function. Despite the high consumption of blueberries, information about its effects on brain plasticity and function under conditions of brain trauma is limited. The efficacy of dietary blueberry (BB) supplementation to mitigate the effects of TBI on plasticity markers and associated behavioral function in a rodent model of concussive injury are assessed. Methods and results Rats were maintained on a diet supplemented with blueberry (BB, 5% w/w) for 2 weeks after TBI. It is found that BB supplementation mitigated a loss of spatial learning and memory performance after TBI, and reduced the effects of TBI on anxiety‐like behavior. BB supplementation prevents a reduction of molecules associated with the brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) system action on learning and memory such as cyclic‐AMP response element binding factor (CREB), calcium/calmodulin‐dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII). In addition, BB supplementation reverses an increase of the lipid peroxidation byproduct 4‐hydroxy‐nonenal (4‐HNE) after TBI. Importantly, synaptic and neuronal signaling regulators change in proportion with the memory performance, suggesting an association between plasticity markers and behavior. Conclusion Data herein indicate that BB supplementation has a beneficial effect in mitigating the acute aspects of the TBI pathology. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is characterized by reduced neuronal energy metabolism important for synaptic plasticity, underpinning learning and memory. Furthermore, plasma membrane damage following TBI may affect neuronal signaling, eventually leading to cognitive deficits. Dietary blueberry supplementation can counteract TBI‐induced manifestations of pathology with impact on cognitive processes by regulating synaptic plasticity, neuronal signaling, and plasma membrane function.