Choline and phosphatidylcholine may maintain cognitive performance by multiple mechanisms

Advances in the composition, efficacy, and mimicking of human milk phospholipids

Phospholipids are the essential components of human milk, contributing to the enhancement of cognitive development, regulation of immune functions, and mitigation of elevated cholesterol levels. Infant formulas supplemented with phospholipids can change the composition, content, and globule membrane structure of milk lipids, improving their digestive properties and nutritional value. However, mimicking phospholipids in infant formulas is currently limited, and the supplemented standards of phospholipid species and amounts in infant formulas are unknown. Consequently, there is a significant difference between the phospholipids in infant formulas and those in human milk. This article reviews the recent progress in human milk phospholipid research, aiming to describe the composition, content, and positive effects of human milk phospholipids, as well as summarises the dietary sources of phospholipid supplementation and the current state of human milk phospholipid mimicking in infant formulas. This review provides clear directions for research on mimicking human milk phospholipids and evaluating the nutritional functions of phospholipids in infants.

The involvement of the gut microbiota in postoperative cognitive dysfunction based on integrated metagenomic and metabolomics analysis

IMPORTANCE

As the population ages and medical technology advances, anesthesia procedures for elderly patients are becoming more common, leading to an increased prevalence of postoperative cognitive dysfunction. However, the etiology and correlation between the gut microbiota and cognitive dysfunction are poorly understood, and research in this area is limited. In this study, mice with postoperative cognitive dysfunction were found to have reduced levels of fatty acid production and anti-inflammatory flora in the gut, and Bacteroides was associated with increased depression, leading to cognitive dysfunction and depression. Furthermore, more specific microbial species were identified in the disease model, suggesting that modulation of host metabolism through gut microbes may be a potential avenue for preventing postoperative cognitive dysfunction.

Codium fragile Suppresses PM2.5-Induced Cognitive Dysfunction by Regulating Gut-Brain Axis via TLR-4/MyD88 Pathway

This study was conducted to evaluate the cognitive dysfunction improvement effect of aqueous extract of Codium fragile (AECF) by regulating the imbalance of the gut-brain axis in chronic particulate matter (PM)2.5-exposed mice. The physiological compounds of AECF were identified as hexadecanamide, oleamide, octadecanamide, stearidonic acid, and linolenic acid by the ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry (UPLC Q-TOF MSE) analysis. To evaluate the effect of PM2.5 on the antioxidant system, superoxide dismutase (SOD) contents, reduced glutathione (GSH) contents, and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents were measured in colon and brain tissues. AECF significantly ameliorated the imbalance of the antioxidant systems. Also, AECF improved intestinal myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, the abundance of the gut microbiome, short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) contents, and tight junction protein expression against PM2.5-induced damage. In addition, AECF prevented PM2.5-induced inflammatory and apoptotic expression via the toll-like receptor-4 (TLR-4)/myeloid differentiation primary response 88 (MyD88) pathway in colon and brain tissues. Additionally, AECF enhanced the mitochondrial function, including the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) contents in brain tissues. Furthermore, AECF regulated the cholinergic system, such as acetylcholine (ACh) contents, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, and protein expression levels of AChE and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) in brain tissues. To evaluate the effect of cognitive dysfunction caused by PM2.5-induced intestinal dysfunction, behavior tests such as Y-maze, passive avoidance, and Morris water maze tests were performed. From the results of the behavior tests, AECF ameliorated spatial learning and memory, short-term memory, and long-term learning and memory function. This study confirmed that AECF reduced PM2.5-induced cognitive dysfunction by regulating gut microbiome and inflammation, apoptosis, and mitochondrial function by enhancing the gut-brain axis. Based on these results, this study suggests that AECF, which contains fatty acid amides, might be a potential material for ameliorating PM2.5-induced cognitive dysfunction via gut-brain axis improvement.

Lipidomics insight on differences between human MFGM and dietary-derived lipids

Milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) contains lipids, which are essential for promoting infant brain development and improving cognition. In this study, the lipid differences between human MFGM and four dietary lipid sources (cow MFGM, soybean, krill, and yolk) were compared using the UHPLC-Q-Exactive MS-based lipidomics techniques. A total of 45 lipid classes and 5048 lipid species were detected. The analysis of phospholipid classes revealed that the lipid composition of human MFGM and cow MFGM was more similar than the other dietary-derived lipids. Additionally, the human MFGM lipid species were compared with cow MFGM, soybean, krill, and yolk, and 401, 416, 494, and 444 significantly different lipids were identified, respectively. Through lipid metabolic pathway analysis, differential lipids were mainly involved in the glycerophospholipid metabolic pathway. Overall, these results will provide a rationale for the future addition of lipids to infant formula to more closely approximate human MFGM lipid profiles.

Plasma metabolomics and lipidomics signatures of motoric cognitive risk syndrome in community-dwelling older adults

Introduction

Motoric cognitive risk syndrome (MCR) is characterized by subjective cognitive complaints (SCCs) and slow gait (SG). Metabolomics and lipidomics may potentiate disclosure of the underlying mechanisms of MCR.

Methods

This was a cross-sectional study from the West China Health and Aging Trend cohort study (WCHAT). The operational definition of MCR is the presence of SCCs and SG without dementia or mobility disability. The test and analysis were based on untargeted metabolomics and lipidomics, consensus clustering, lasso regression and 10-fold cross-validation.

Results

This study enrolled 6,031 individuals for clinical analysis and 577 plasma samples for omics analysis. The overall prevalence of MCR was 9.7%, and the prevalence of MCR-only, assessed cognitive impairment-only (CI-only) and MCR-CI were 7.5, 13.3, and 2.1%, respectively. By consensus clustering analysis, MCR-only was clustered into three metabolic subtypes, MCR-I, MCR-II and MCR-III. Clinically, body fat mass (OR = 0.89, CI = 0.82–0.96) was negatively correlated with MCR-I, and comorbidity (OR = 2.19, CI = 1.10–4.38) was positively correlated with MCR-III. Diabetes mellitus had the highest ORs above 1 in MCR-II and MCR-III (OR = 3.18, CI = 1.02–9.91; OR = 2.83, CI = 1.33–6.04, respectively). The risk metabolites of MCR-III showed relatively high similarity with those of cognitive impairment. Notably, L-proline, L-cystine, ADMA, and N1-acetylspermidine were significantly changed in MCR-only, and PC(40:3), SM(32:1), TG(51:3), eicosanoic acid(20:1), methyl-D-galactoside and TG(50:3) contributed most to the prediction model for MCR-III.

Interpretation

Pre-dementia syndrome of MCR has distinct metabolic subtypes, and SCCs and SG may cause different metabolic changes to develop MCR.

Comparative Lipidomics Analysis of Human and Ruminant Milk Reveals Variation in Composition and Structural Characteristics

In the present study, the different lipidomes between human milk and ruminant milk were compared. The 471, 376, 467, and 87 differential lipids were identified in human versus cow, goat, sheep, and camel groups, respectively. According to multivariate statistical analysis, lipids in human and camel milk were closer but differed from other milk. The distributions of long-chain and polyunsaturated fatty acids of triglycerides (TGs), the proportions of functional TGs (OPO, OPL, and PPO), and many kinds of phospholipids (PLs) (PS, PI, GD, GM3, and Cer) in human milk were similar to those in camel milk. The similar structure of TGs and proportion of PLs in human milk to camel milk might contribute to their similar digestion and bioactivity properties. Camel milk could be considered as a new resource of lipid base for infant formula. Minor PLs should also be considered for designing formula. Our results provide a new sight for humanized lipids in infant formula.

Medicinal herbs and nutritional supplements for dementia therapy: potential therapeutic targets and clinical evidence

Spices and herbs have been used for medicinal purposes for centuries. Also, in the last decades, the use of different nutritional supplements has been implemented to treat all kinds of diseases, including those that present an alteration in cognitive functioning. Dementia is a clinical syndrome in which a person's mental and cognitive capacities gradually decline. As the disease progresses, the person's autonomy diminishes. As there is not an effective treatment to prevent progressive deterioration in many of these pathologies, nutritional interventions have been, and still are, one of the most widely explored therapeutic possibilities. In this review, we have discussed a great number of potentially interesting plants, nutritional derivatives and probiotics for the treatment of dementia around the world. Their action mechanisms generally involve neuroprotective effects via anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-apoptotic, b-amyloid and tau anti-aggregate actions; brain blood flow improvement, and effects on synaptic cholinergic and dopaminergic neurotransmission, which may optimize cognitive performance in patients with cognitive impairment. As for their efficacy in patients with cognitive impairment and/or dementias, evidence is still scarce and/or their outcomes are controversial. We consider that many of these substances have promising therapeutic properties. Therefore, the scientific community has to continue with a more complete research focused on both identifying possible action mechanisms and carrying out clinical trials, preferably randomized double-blind ones, with a greater number of patients, a long-term follow-up, dose standardization and the use of current diagnosis criteria.

First insights into the honey bee (Apis mellifera) brain lipidome and its neonicotinoid-induced alterations associated with reduced self-grooming behavior

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First bee brain characterization shows distinctive low plasmalogens and high alkyl-ether levels.

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PC 20:3e/15:0, PC 16:0/18:3, PA 18:0/24:1 increased by the highest dose of clothianidin.

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Levels of CL 18:3/18:1/14:0/22:6, TG 6:0/11:2/18:1 and eLPE 18:0e were linked to intense grooming.

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Membrane lipids, like PC 18:1e/20:3, ePC 8:1e/20:3, and pPE 16:1p/24:1 were up-regulated by clothianidin.

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Clothianidin exposure up-regulated genes linked to GPI-anchor biosynthesis pathway.

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Lipids can be used as biomarkers to assess the effect of neurotoxins on behaviors.

Introduction

Honey bees (Apis mellifera) play key roles in food production performing complex behaviors, like self-grooming to remove parasites. However, the lipids of their central nervous system have not been examined, even though they likely play a crucial role in the performance of cognitive process to perform intricate behaviors. Lipidomics has greatly advanced our understanding of neuropathologies in mammals and could provide the same for honey bees.

Objectives

The objectives of this study were to characterize the brain lipidome of adult honey bees and to assess the effect of clothianidin (a neurotoxic insecticide) on the brain lipid composition, gene expression, and performance of self-grooming behavior under controlled conditions (cage experiments).

Methods

After seven days of exposure to oral sublethal doses of clothianidin, the bees were assessed for self-grooming behavior; their brains were dissected to analyze the lipidome using an untargeted lipidomics approach and to perform a high throughput RNAseq analysis.

Results

Compared to all other organisms, healthy bee brain lipidomes contain unusually high levels of alkyl-ether linked (plasmanyl) phospholipids (51.42%) and low levels of plasmalogens (plasmenyl phospholipids; 3.46%). This could make it more susceptible to the effects of toxins in the environment. A positive correlation between CL 18:3/18:1/14:0/22:6, TG 6:0/11:2/18:1, LPE 18:0e and intense self-grooming was found. Sublethal doses of a neonicotinoid altered PC 20:3e/15:0, PC 16:0/18:3, PA 18:0/24:1, and TG 18:1/18:1/18/1 levels, and affected gene expression linked to GPI-anchor biosynthesis pathway and energy metabolism that may be partially responsible for the altered lipid composition.

Conclusion

This study showed that lipidomics can reveal honey bee neuropathologies associated with reduced grooming behavior due to sublethal neonicotinoid exposure. The ease of use, unusual brain lipidome as well as characterized behaviors that are affected by the environment make honey bees a promising model organism for studying the neurolipidome and associations with neurobehavioral disorders.

The risk factors of postoperative delirium in patients with hip fracture: implication for clinical management

Background

Delirium is a common complication of hip surgery patients. It is necessary to investigate the epidemiological characteristics and related risk factors of delirium after hip fracture surgery, to provide evidence supports for the prevention and management of delirium.

Methods

Hip fracture patients admitted to our hospital for surgical treatment from March 2018 to March 2020 were identified as participants. The characteristics and laboratory examinations in patients with and without postoperative delirium were compared and analyzed. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to ascertain the independent risk factors, and the area under the curve (AUC) were calculated to analyze the predictive value.

Results

A total of 568 postoperative patients with hip fracture were included, the incidence of delirium in postoperative patients with hip fracture was 14.44 %. The preoperative albumin (OR 4.382, 2.501 ~ 5.538), history of delirium (OR 2.197, 1.094 ~ 3.253), TSH (OR1.245, 1.077 ~ 1.638), the resting score on the first postoperative day (OR1.235, 0.944 ~ 1.506) and age(OR1.185, 0.065 ~ 1.814) were the independent risk factors for the postoperative delirium in patients with hip fracture(all p < 0.05). The AUC of albumin, history of delirium, TSH, the resting score on the first postoperative day and age were 0.794, 0.754, 0.746, 0.721 and 0.689 respectively.

Conclusions

The incidence of delirium in postoperative patients with hip fracture is rather high, especially for patients with old age and history of delirium. Monitoring albumin, TSH and resting score may be beneficial to the management of postoperative delirium.

Choline Pathway Nutrients and Metabolites and Cognitive Impairment After Acute Ischemic Stroke

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Choline metabolism was suggested to play pathophysiological roles in nervous system and atherosclerosis development. However, little is known about the impacts of choline pathway nutrients and metabolites on poststroke cognitive impairment. We aimed to prospectively investigate the relationships between circulating choline, betaine, and trimethylamine N-oxide with cognitive impairment among acute ischemic stroke patients.

METHODS

We derived data from CATIS (China Antihypertensive Trial in Acute Ischemic Stroke). Plasma choline, betaine, and trimethylamine N-oxide concentrations at baseline were measured in 617 participants. Cognitive impairment was evaluated using the Mini-Mental State Examination and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment. Reclassification and calibration of models with choline-related biomarkers were evaluated.

RESULTS

Plasma choline and betaine were inversely associated with cognitive impairment. Compared with the lowest tertile, adjusted odds ratios of Mini-Mental State Examination-defined cognitive impairment for participants in the highest tertiles of choline and betaine were 0.59 (95% CI, 0.39-0.90) and 0.60 (95% CI, 0.39-0.92), respectively. In addition, both choline and betaine offered incremental predictive ability over the basic model with established risk factors, shown by increase in net reclassification improvement and integrated discrimination improvement. There were similar significant relationships between choline and betaine with cognitive impairment as defined by the Montreal Cognitive Assessment. However, plasma trimethylamine N-oxide was only associated with cognitive impairment evaluated using the Mini-Mental State Examination; the adjusted odds ratio was 1.33 (95% CI, 1.04-1.72) for each 1-SD increment of trimethylamine N-oxide.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with higher choline and betaine levels had lower risk of cognitive impairment after ischemic stroke, supporting promising prognostic roles of choline pathway nutrients for poststroke cognitive impairment.