Researchers from the CHU Research centre in Quebec have shown that diet can play a neuroprotective role in a preclinical Parkinson mouse model. They investigated the effects of a omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids-enriched diet, in the form of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), on damaged neurons. C57BL/6 adult mice were injected in the Substantia nigra with 6-OHDA ( 6 OHDA Parkinson) to induce dopaminergic denervation and cell loss, to mimic the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. The 6-OHDA model is a valuable tool frequently used in rodents, mostly to investigate motor and biochemical dysfunctions in Parkinson’s disease. A group of 6-OHDA mice were fed a omage-3 rich diet for 6 weeks and the researchers found that these mice had 52% more dopamine in their striatum than control 6-OHDA mice and a 47% rise in tyrosine-hydroxylase, an enzyme involved in the production of dopamime, although no improvement in their motor behavior was observed. Morphological data showed no increase in the number of dopaminergic cell bodies in treated animals but did show an increase in perimeters (+6%) and areas (+17%). Overall, the scientists showed using a preclinical Parkinson model usually used to assess dyskinesia, that an omega-3 enriched diet can induce a partial neurorestoration of the dopaminergic system. Syncrosome, a scientific preclinical CRO based in France, also uses the Parkinson preclinical 6-OHDA model to monitor the neuroprotective properties of compounds in preclinical trials (early and late stage of the Parkinson disease are possible), and also dyskinesia-akinesia for efficacy testing. We think that these 6 OHDA Parkinson preclinical disease models are more relevant than MPTP or MPP+ induction.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jnutbio.2015.11.014