Administration of DHA-PS to aged mice was suitable for increasing Hippocampal PS and DHA ratio

Abstract

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and phosphatidylserine (PS) are major components of the brain and play important roles functionally and structurally. Aging is associated with impairments in biological functions. According to the results of animal tests it has been shown that the loss in brain PC, PS and DHA due to aging leads to a variety of nervous deficits. In the present study, young mice and aged mice were fed a test or control diet for four weeks, and the authors examined the effects of DHA and/or PS administration (control diet group, Soy-PL diet group, Soy-PS diet group, DHA-PL diet group and DHA-PS diet group). At the end of the feeding period, the final ages were 12 (young mice) and 73 (aged mice) weeks. Hippocampal PS ratios and DHA concentrations in aged control mice were found to be lower than those in young control mice. Hippocampal PS ratios and DHA concentration in aged mice were increased with administration of PS and DHA, respectively. Authors found DHA-PS diet could increase both DHA and PS in hippocampus of aged mice. © 2010 by Japan Oil Chemists' Society.