Effect of Triheptanoate-rich Ketogenic Diet on Memory and Cerebral Glucose Transport in Young and Aged Mice
triheptanoin; ketogenic diet; aging, memory, brain
The brain aging process triggers cognitive function impairment, like memory loss, compromising life quality. The cognitive impairment has a basis in bioenergetic status, with reduced glucose uptake and metabolization in aged brains. To access whether the improvement of oxidative capacity ameliorates cognitive function in aging, adult (12 weeks) and aged (22-month-old) C57/6BJ mice received (1) ketogenic, (2) ketogenic supplement with triheptanoin, or (3) show diets for 12 weeks. Spontaneous alternation and time spent in previously closed arm in the Y maze test and, time interacting with an unknown object in the novel object recognition test (NORT) evaluated memory. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in the prefrontal lobe, brain, and cerebellum was evaluated. GLUT3 expression in the prefrontal lobe was analyzed by the western blot method. Ketogenic diet (KD) decreased spontaneous alternation in aged mice, led to lower AChE activity in young and aged mice, and to lower GLUT3 expression in the prefrontal lobe of young mice. The supplementation of triheptanoin to KD prevented the impairment in memory and show similar values of AChE activity and GLUT3 expression compared to controls. Our data suggest that triheptanoin has a potential role in the bioenergetic capacity of the brain, though in improving cognitive function, which could impact life quality within the aging process.