NMN belongs to the family of B vitamins, more specifically the B3 vitaminsIn recent years, the small molecule has gained a lot of attention, particularly through research by Prof. David Sinclair has gained quite a bit of public notoriety. We have already discussed some of these studies in more detail in other articles. This one will focus on NMN and cognitive function, i.e. how NMN may help to curb the age-related loss of mental capacity.
"So I think I am"
Everyone is capable of thinking, asking questions and remembering things. You don't even have to be a philosopher like René Descartes, who coined this quote. Regardless of this philosophical thought, there is no doubt that humans are incapable of cognitive performance without their brains. As the most important control center, the brain only accounts for 2% of the body's weight. Allerdings: The brain uses an incredible 15% of the blood volume pumped by the heart. Since energy and oxygen reserves are always at their limit, it is necessary to adapt the supply of these resources to metabolic needs, especially during intense neuronal activity. This is ensured by a mechanism known as neurovascular coupling. The adaptation of brain blood flow to neuronal activity plays an essential role in maintaining healthy cognitive function. In old age, however, molecular changes impair this adaptability and thus contribute to cognitive decline.
The second mouse gets the cheese – or NMN?
In a Study Tarantini and his colleagues wanted to get to the bottom of this matter. For this purpose, laboratory mice were specially created that had the melodic name C57BL / 6 wear, because they are considered to be less anxious, more docile and more robust than the rest of the mouse family. The fact alone that these mice, unlike their relatives, drink alcohol voluntarily underlines their robustness! To prove that NMN supplementation has an influence on the neurovascular coupling response, 20 one-year-old mice were given 500 mg/kg NMN daily for 2 weeks. A series of tests were then carried out to assess their cognitive function and motor coordination. 20 mice of the same age and 30 young mice were used for comparison. The neurovascular coupling response and vascular function were also checked. But now for a moment. How can these functions be determined scientifically in mammals? The change in blood flow to the brain tissue caused by electrical whisker stimulation was simply measured and visually displayed.
NMN as a possible memory booster
The results of the study were no less spectacular than the experimental design: The researchers found severely impaired neurovascular coupling reactions in aged mice. NMN supplementation, on the other hand, saved the blood supply by increasing nitric oxide-mediated vasodilation. This was associated with significantly improved working memory and increased gait coordination in the mice experiments. Similar findings from studies with Resveratrol suggest that age-related oxidative stress in the mitochondria plays a central role in the impaired neurovascular coupling reaction in old age. The effect of NMN is therefore based on sirtuin-dependent protective effects on the production of reactive oxygen radicals. A decrease in the availability of NAD + thus leads to age-related dysfunction of cerebral blood flow and cognitive decline. The protective effect of NMN on cerebral vascular function underlines its preventive and therapeutic potential as an effective treatment in patients at risk for cognitive impairment.
Sources
Books
Tarantini, S., Valcarcel-Ares, MN, Toth, P., Yabluchanskiy, A., Tucsek, Z., Kiss, T., Hertelendy, P., Kinter, M., Ballabh, P., Süle, Z. , Farkas, E., Baur, JA, Sinclair, DA, Csiszar, A., & Ungvari, Z. (2019). Nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) supplementation rescues cerebromicrovascular endothelial function and neurovascular coupling responses and improves cognitive function in aged mice.Redox biology,24, 101192.
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