Red raspberry (Rubus ideaus) supplementation mitigates the effects of a high-fat diet on brain and behavior in mice

ABSTRACT

Objectives

Research has shown that berries may have the ability to reverse, reduce, or slow the progression of behavioral dysfunction associated with aging and neurodegenerative disease. In contrast, high-energy and high-fat diets (HFD) may result in behavioral deficits like those seen in aging animals. This research examined whether red raspberry (Rubus ideaus) mitigates the effects of HFD on mouse brain and behavior.

Methods

Eight-week-old mice consumed a HFD (60% calories from fat) or a control diet (CD) with and without 4% freeze-dried red raspberry (RB). Behavioral tests and biochemical assays of brain tissue and serum were conducted.

Results

After 12 weeks on the diets, mice fed CD and HFD had impaired novel object recognition, but mice on the RB-supplemented diets did not. After approximately 20 weeks on the diets, mice fed HFD + RB had shorter latencies to find the escape hole in the Barnes maze than the HFD-fed mice. Interleukin (IL)-6 was significantly elevated in the cortex of mice fed HFD; while mice fed the CD, CD + RB, and HFD + RB did not show a similar elevation. There was also evidence of increased brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the brains of mice fed RB diets. This reduction in IL-6 and increase in BDNF may contribute to the preservation of learning and memory in HFD + RB mice.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates that RB may protect against the effects HFD has on brain and behavior; however, further research with human subjects is needed to confirm these benefits.

KEYWORDS:

• Berry
• high-fat diet
• raspberry
• Barnes maze
• brain
• cognition
• inflammation
• mice

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Drs. Marshall G. Miller and Nopporn Thangthaeng with their assistance with tissue and serum collection. The authors would also like to thank Matthew Rovnak for providing the Barnes Maze.

Disclosure statement

This research was supported in part by the National Processed Raspberry Council, an organization that may be affected by the research reported in the enclosed paper.

Data availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by National Processed Raspberry Council; Simmons SURPASs.

Notes on contributors

Amanda N. Carey

Amanda N. Carey graduated with a Ph.D. in Psychology (2010) from Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. She completed postdoctoral training at Tufts Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging in 2012. She is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at Simmons University in Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

Giulia I. Pintea

Giulia I. Pintea graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Biostatistics (2019) from Simmons University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. She is currently a graduate student and teaching assistant at Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA where she is getting her M.S. and Ph.D. in Cognitive Science.

Shelby Van Leuven

Shelby Van Leuven graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience and Behavior (2018) from Simmons University in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. She is currently a second-year medical student at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, Oregon, USA.

Kelsea R. Gildawie

Kelsea R. Gildawie earned a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience and Behavior (2016) from Simmons University in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. She is currently a Ph.D. candidate in the Developmental Neuropsychobiology Laboratory at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, where she earned a Master of Science in Psychology in 2018.

Laura Squiccimara

Laura Squiccimara graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience and Behavior (2017) and received her Master’s degree in Behavior Analysis (2018) from Simmons University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. She is currently a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst at Advances Learning Center in Newton, Massachusetts, USA.

Elizabeth Fine

Elizabeth Fine received a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience and Behavior (2017) from Simmons University and is currently a Clinical Research Coordinator at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

Abigail Rovnak

Abigail Rovnak graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience and Behavior (2016) from Simmons University in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. She received her EMT certification from the state of Massachusetts in 2017. She is currently a candidate for a Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Sherman School of Chiropractic in South Carolina, USA.

Mark Harrington

Mark Harrington received a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience and Behavior (2016) from Simmons University in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. He is currently a Program Coordinator at Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.