Iso-α-acids, bitter components of beer, prevent obesity-induced cognitive decline

Sci Rep. 2018 Mar 19;8(1):4760. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-23213-9.

Abstract

Dementia and cognitive decline have become worldwide public health problems, and it was recently reported that life-style related diseases and obesity are key risk factors in dementia. Iso-α-acids, hop-derived bitter components of beer, have been reported to have various physiological functions via activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ. In this report, we demonstrated that daily intake of iso-α-acids suppresses inflammations in the hippocampus and improves cognitive decline induced by high fat diet (HFD). Body weight, epididymal fat weight, and plasma triglyceride levels were increased in HFD-fed mice, and significantly decreased in iso-α-acids supplemented HFD-fed mice. HFD feeding enhances the production of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, such as TNF-α, which was significantly suppressed by iso-α-acids administration. HFD-induced neuroinflammation caused lipid peroxidation, neuronal loss, and atrophy in hippocampus, and those were not observed in iso-α-acids-treated mice. Furthermore, iso-α-acids intake significantly improved cognitive decline induced by HFD-feeding. Iso-α-acids are food derived components that suppressing both lipid accumulation and brain inflammation, thus iso-α-acids might be beneficial for the risk of dementia increased by obesity and lifestyle-related diseases.

MeSH terms

  • Acids / chemistry*
  • Acids / pharmacology*
  • Animals
  • Atrophy
  • Beer / analysis*
  • Cognitive Dysfunction / etiology*
  • Cognitive Dysfunction / metabolism
  • Cognitive Dysfunction / physiopathology
  • Cognitive Dysfunction / prevention & control*
  • Dietary Fats / adverse effects
  • Hippocampus / drug effects
  • Hippocampus / pathology
  • Hippocampus / physiopathology
  • Lipid Peroxidation / drug effects
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Obesity / chemically induced
  • Obesity / complications*

Substances

  • Acids
  • Dietary Fats