Abstract：
Recently, β-alanine (BA) supplementation was shown to improve cognitive function in older adults with decreased cognitive function. Mechanisms supporting these improvements have not been well defined. This study examined the effects of 10-weeks of BA supplementation on changes in circulating brain inflammatory markers, brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and brain morphology. Twenty participants were initially randomized into BA (2.4 g·d-1) or placebo (PL) groups. At each testing session, participants provided a resting blood sample and completed the Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) test and magnetic resonance imaging, which included diffusion tensor imaging to assess brain tissue integrity. Only participants that scored at or below normal for the MoCA assessment were analyzed (6 BA and 4 PL). The Mann-Whitney U test was used to examine Δ (POST-PRE) differences between the groups. No differences in Δ scores were noted in any blood marker (BDNF, CRP, TNF-α and GFAP). Changes in fractional anisotropy scores were significantly greater for BA than PL in the right hippocampus (p = 0.033) and the left amygdala (p = 0.05). No other differences were noted. The results provide a potential mechanism of how BA supplementation may improve cognitive function as reflected by improved tissue integrity within the hippocampus and amygdala.
摘要：
最近,补充β-丙氨酸（BA）可改善认知功能下降的老年人的认知功能。支持这些改进的机制尚未得到很好的定义。这项研究检查了10周补充BA对循环脑部炎症标志物变化的影响，脑源性神经营养因子(BDNF),和大脑形态。最初将20名参与者随机分为BA（2.4g·d-1）或安慰剂（PL）组。在每个测试会话中，参与者提供了静息血液样本，并完成了蒙特利尔认知评估（MoCA）测试和磁共振成像，其中包括扩散张量成像，以评估脑组织的完整性。仅分析MoCA评估得分等于或低于正常值的参与者（6BA和4PL）。Mann-WhitneyU检验用于检查组间Δ(POST-PRE)差异。在任何血液标志物(BDNF，CRP,TNF-α和GFAP)。在右侧海马（p=0.033）和左侧杏仁核（p=0.05）中，BA的各向异性分数变化明显大于PL。没有注意到其他差异。结果提供了补充BA如何改善认知功能的潜在机制，如海马和杏仁核内组织完整性的改善所反映。
