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Combining blueberry and galacto-oligosaccharides to assess behavioral outcomes in a sickness-induced rat model and in development and characterization of a delivery vehicle for human clinical studies

Jordan, Jennifer
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1689874736870338

Abstract Details

2023, Master of Science, Ohio State University, Food Science and Technology.
Structural and functional age-related changes contribute to cognitive decline in older adults. Cognitive intervention like diet improves cognitive function.. Diet lessens cognitive aging symptoms by modulating the gut-brain axis (two-way signaling between gut microbe community and the nervous system). Two potential interventions to improve cognition via the gut-brain axis are blueberry anthocyanins (ACNs; a polyphenol) and galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS; a prebiotic). Blueberry ACNs reduce systemic inflammation, and GOS increases health benefiting bacteria populations. The purpose of this thesis is to develop a product for food interventions and to investigate behavioral outcomes and physiological changes with similar bioactive concentrations in a preclinical model. A functional confection containing blueberries, GOS, and other neuroprotective ingredients is formulated for future clinical trials to investigate the combined ingredient effects on the gut brain axis. The hypothesis is a well-liked blueberry and GOS made from whole fruit and neuroprotective ingredients will maintain known bioactive concentrations (>90%) during 28-day storage and prevent ACN release in an enzyme-free simulated gastric fluid (SGF). Three confections were created to compare bioactive retention, water distribution, and texture properties. Confections evaluated were a base blueberry and GOS confection (BC), a 1% high methoxyl (HM) pectin confection with the same base (BC+P), and a 1% HM pectin and sugar formula. All confections contained or exceeded the targeted amounts of blueberry ACNs (330 mg) and vitamin E (12 mg) on day 1. Only ACN concentration significantly decreased (p<0.05) over the 28-day period. The addition of pectin in the GOS confections resulted in a softer and less sticky confection. Liking between BC and BC+P was driven by the texture differences in the confections causing the BC+P formula to be more preferred by panelists. Formula did not prevent ACN release in simulated gastric fluid, but majority of ACNs remained in the food matrix. The final formula of blueberry and GOS fortified confections will include pectin for future clinical trials. A preclinical rat model also evaluated behavioral and physiological outcomes of a similar dosed blueberry and GOS diet after induced sickness. A 3% blueberry and 3% GOS diet will mitigate systemic inflammation effects of a lipopolysaccharide (LPS; an endotoxin), reduce sickness scores, and improve behavioral outcomes measured through the forced swim test (FST; depressive-like behavior), elevated plus maze (EPM; anxiety-like behavior), and Morris water maze (MWM; learning ability). Malondialdehyde (MDA) was also evaluated post sacrifice to determine changes in lipid peroxidation after the inflammatory challenge. Male Sprague Dawley rats (n=32) ate diets (treatment/control) for 11 weeks and were randomly assigned to receive LPS intervention (1 mg/kg, i.p.). LPS exposed rats had higher sickness scores (p<0.001) and increased anxiety-like behavior (p=0.007). Treatment diet and LPS rats did not experience significantly more anxiety-related behavior possibly due to anxiolytic effects from the diet. LPS significantly increased latency day 2 of repeat acquisition MWM for both diet groups (p=0.003) suggesting a delayed inflammatory response. These studies have important implications for future cognitive research with food interventions. The bioactive concentrations in a well like confection formula mitigated some LPS induced deficits in rats.
Yael Vodovotz, PhD (Advisor)
Christopher Simons, PhD (Committee Member)
Cole Vonder Haar, PhD (Committee Member)
Richard Bruno, PhD, R.D. (Committee Member)
103 p.
Food Science
blueberries; anthocyanins; galacto-oligosaccharides; prebiotic; cognitive aging; product development

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Citations

  • Jordan, J. (2023). Combining blueberry and galacto-oligosaccharides to assess behavioral outcomes in a sickness-induced rat model and in development and characterization of a delivery vehicle for human clinical studies [Master's thesis, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1689874736870338

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Jordan, Jennifer. Combining blueberry and galacto-oligosaccharides to assess behavioral outcomes in a sickness-induced rat model and in development and characterization of a delivery vehicle for human clinical studies. 2023. Ohio State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1689874736870338.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Jordan, Jennifer. "Combining blueberry and galacto-oligosaccharides to assess behavioral outcomes in a sickness-induced rat model and in development and characterization of a delivery vehicle for human clinical studies." Master's thesis, Ohio State University, 2023. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1689874736870338

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

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This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.