Dietary Restriction Stimulates BDNF Production in the Brain and Thereby Protects Neurons Against Excitotoxic Injury
Abstract
Dietary restriction (DR) increases the lifespan of rodents and increases their resistance to several different age-related diseases including cancer and diabetes. Beneficial effects of DR on brain plasticity and neuronal vulnerability to injury have recently been reported, but the underlying mechanisms are unknown. We report that levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) are significantly increased in the hippocampus, cerebral cortex, and striatum of rats maintained on a DR regimen compared to animals fed ad libitum (AL). Seizure-induced damage to hippocampal neurons was significantly reduced in rats maintained on DR, and this beneficial effect was attenuated by intraventricular administration of a BDNF-blocking antibody. These findings provide the first evidence that diet can effect expression of a neurotrophic factor, demonstrate that BDNF signaling plays a central role in the neuroprotective effect of DR, and proffer DR as an approach for reducing neuronal damage in neurodegenerative disorders.
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Dietary restriction or addition of supplementary substances such as omega-3 fatty acids or resveratrol can induce an increase in BDNF levels and reduce cognitive impairment in animal models.
“dietary restriction (i.e., the maintenance of a balanced diet) or addition of supplementary substances (e.g., omega-3 fatty acids; resveratrol) can induce an increase in BDNF levels and reduce cognitive impairment in animal models [224–226].”
From Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor in Brain Disorders: Focus on Neuroinflammation (2019) · cites this paper as [224]
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“Further, caloric restriction has been demonstrated to up-regulate expression of neurotrophic factors such as BDNF [46,47,48], which was also achieved by dietary 2DG administration in the current study.”
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“Abbreviations ROS Reactive oxygen species DR Dietary restriction CALERIE Comprehensive Assessment of Long-term Effects of Reducing Intake of Energy BBB Blood–brain barrier IL-1β Interleukin-1 beta TNF-α Tumor necrosis factor alpha IL-6 Interleukin-6 GFAP Glial fibrillary acidic protein MHC II Major histocompatibility…”
BackgroundIntermittent Fasting: Myths, Fakes and Truth on This Dietary Regimen Approach
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- Authors
- Duan, W., Lee, J., Guo, Z., & Mattson, M. P.
- Affiliations
- National Institutes of Health (US)
- Venue
- Journal of Molecular Neuroscience
- Published
- 2001
- Volume
- 16
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 1-12
- ISSN
- 0895-8696 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W1985329474
- Cited by
- 183
- References
- 50
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 8 · 2013: 6 · 2012: 10
- FWCI
- 3.93
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Molecular Neuroscience (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Nerve injury and regeneration
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Aging › Genetics, Aging, and Longevity in Model Organisms
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Dietary Effects on Health
- Keywords
- dietary restriction, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, neuroprotection, excitotoxicity, hippocampal neurons, seizure-induced neuronal damage, neurotrophic signaling, neurodegenerative diseases, lifespan extension
- MeSH terms
- Actins, Animals, Antibodies, Brain, Cell Survival, Cerebral Cortex, Epilepsy, Food Deprivation, Hippocampus, Immunohistochemistry, Kainic Acid, Male, Neurons, Neurotoxins, RNA, Messenger, Neostriatum, Rats, Sprague-Dawley, Neuroprotective Agents, Glutamic Acid, Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor, Nerve Growth Factor, Rats
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