Amino acid supplement could keep dementia at bay

Japanese researchers have shown that a low-protein diet can accelerate brain degeneration in mouse models of Alzheimer’s disease — and that a supplement containing seven specific amino acids, called Amino LP7, can slow down brain degeneration and dementia in these animals.

Published in the journal Science Advances, the team’s research expands on previous studies which have demonstrated the effectiveness of Amino LP7 in improving cognitive function.

“In older individuals, low-protein diets are linked to poor maintenance of brain function. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins,” explained Dr Makoto Higuchi from Japan’s National Institutes for Quantum Sciences and Technology (QST), one of the lead scientists on the study. “We wanted to understand whether supplementation with essential amino acids can protect the brains of older people from dementia and, if yes, what mechanisms would contribute to this protective effect.”

First the researchers studied how a low-protein diet affects the brain in mouse models of Alzheimer’s disease, which generally demonstrate neurodegeneration and abnormal protein (Tau) aggregates in the brain. They found that mice consuming a low-protein diet not only showed accelerated brain degeneration but also had signs of poor neuronal connectivity. These effects were reversed after supplementation with Amino LP7, indicating that the combination of seven specific amino acids could inhibit brain damage.

Next, the research team examined how Amino LP7 affects different signs of brain degeneration in the Alzheimer’s model. Untreated mice showed high levels of progressive brain degeneration, but Amino LP7 treatment suppressed neuronal death and thereby reduced brain degeneration, even though the Tau aggregates remained.

“Tau plaques in the brain are characteristic of Alzheimer’s and most treatments target them,” noted QST’s Dr Akihiko Kitamura, a co-leader on the study. “However, we have shown that it is possible to overcome this Tau deposition and prevent brain atrophy via supplementation with Amino LP7.”

Finally, to understand how Amino LP7 protects the brain, the researchers comprehensively analysed the gene-level changes induced by Amino LP7. They observed that Amino LP7 reduces brain inflammation and also prevents kynurenine, an inflammation inducer, from entering the brain, thereby preventing inflammatory immune cells from attacking neurons. They also found that Amino LP7 reduces neuronal death and improves neuronal connectivity, improving brain function.

“These results suggest that essential amino acids can help maintain balance in the brain and prevent brain deterioration. Our study is the first to report that specific amino acids can hinder the development of dementia,” said QST’s Dr Hideaki Sato and Dr Yuhei Takado, both of whom contributed to the study.

“Although our study was performed in mice, it brings hope that amino acid intake could also modify the development of dementias in humans, including Alzheimer’s disease.”

The researchers say their study throws open several avenues for better understanding how dementias occur and how they can be prevented. Furthermore, given that Amino LP7 improves brain function in older people without cognitive impairment, their findings suggest that it could also be effective in people with cognitive dysfunction.

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/amazing studio

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