Cinnamon Converts Poor Learning Mice to Good Learners: Implications for Memory Improvement

Overview

Journal J Neuroimmune Pharmacol

Specialties Allergy & Immunology
Neurology
Pharmacology

Date 2016 Jun 26

PMID 27342118

Citations 12

Authors

Khushbu K Modi

Suresh B Rangasamy

Sridevi Dasarathi

Avik Roy

Kalipada Pahan

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

This study underlines the importance of cinnamon, a commonly used natural spice and flavoring material, and its metabolite sodium benzoate (NaB) in converting poor learning mice to good learning ones. NaB, but not sodium formate, was found to upregulate plasticity-related molecules, stimulate NMDA- and AMPA-sensitive calcium influx and increase of spine density in cultured hippocampal neurons. NaB induced the activation of CREB in hippocampal neurons via protein kinase A (PKA), which was responsible for the upregulation of plasticity-related molecules. Finally, spatial memory consolidation-induced activation of CREB and expression of different plasticity-related molecules were less in the hippocampus of poor learning mice as compared to good learning ones. However, oral treatment of cinnamon and NaB increased spatial memory consolidation-induced activation of CREB and expression of plasticity-related molecules in the hippocampus of poor-learning mice and converted poor learners into good learners. These results describe a novel property of cinnamon in switching poor learners to good learners via stimulating hippocampal plasticity.

Citing Articles

Cinnamon powder intake enhances the effect of caloric restriction on white adipose tissue in male rats.

Kuhnert L, Pontes R, Neto J, Romao J, Pinto C, Oliveira K J Mol Histol. 2024; 56(1):19.

PMID: 39627596 DOI: 10.1007/s10735-024-10288-0.

Toxic Metabolites and Inborn Errors of Amino Acid Metabolism: What One Informs about the Other.

Lee N, Kim D Metabolites. 2022; 12(6).

PMID: 35736461 PMC: 9231173. DOI: 10.3390/metabo12060527.

Sodium Benzoate-Harmfulness and Potential Use in Therapies for Disorders Related to the Nervous System: A Review.

Walczak-Nowicka L, Herbet M Nutrients. 2022; 14(7).

PMID: 35406109 PMC: 9003278. DOI: 10.3390/nu14071497.

Sodium Benzoate, a Metabolite of Cinnamon and a Food Additive, Improves Cognitive Functions in Mice after Controlled Cortical Impact Injury.

Rangasamy S, Raha S, Dasarathy S, Pahan K Int J Mol Sci. 2022; 23(1).

PMID: 35008615 PMC: 8745327. DOI: 10.3390/ijms23010192.

Stimulation of Dopamine Production by Sodium Benzoate, a Metabolite of Cinnamon and a Food Additive.

Rangasamy S, Dasarathi S, Nutakki A, Mukherjee S, Nellivalasa R, Pahan K J Alzheimers Dis Rep. 2021; 5(1):295-310.

PMID: 34113786 PMC: 8150256. DOI: 10.3233/ADR-210001.

References

Brahmachari S, Jana A, Pahan K . Sodium benzoate, a metabolite of cinnamon and a food additive, reduces microglial and astroglial inflammatory responses. J Immunol. 2009; 183(9):5917-27. PMC: 2862570. DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.0803336. View

Malenka R, Bear M . LTP and LTD: an embarrassment of riches. Neuron. 2004; 44(1):5-21. DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2004.09.012. View

Roy A, Jana A, Yatish K, Freidt M, Fung Y, Martinson J . Reactive oxygen species up-regulate CD11b in microglia via nitric oxide: Implications for neurodegenerative diseases. Free Radic Biol Med. 2008; 45(5):686-99. PMC: 2701551. DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2008.05.026. View

Shim K, Lubec G . Drebrin, a dendritic spine protein, is manifold decreased in brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease and Down syndrome. Neurosci Lett. 2002; 324(3):209-12. DOI: 10.1016/s0304-3940(02)00210-0. View

Brahmachari S, Pahan K . Sodium benzoate, a food additive and a metabolite of cinnamon, modifies T cells at multiple steps and inhibits adoptive transfer of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis. J Immunol. 2007; 179(1):275-83. PMC: 1976122. DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.179.1.275. View

Desjardins S, Mayo W, Vallee M, Hancock D, Le Moal M, Simon H . Effect of aging on the basal expression of c-Fos, c-Jun, and Egr-1 proteins in the hippocampus. Neurobiol Aging. 1997; 18(1):37-44. DOI: 10.1016/s0197-4580(96)00206-0. View

Leonard J, Morris A . Urea cycle disorders. Semin Neonatol. 2002; 7(1):27-35. DOI: 10.1053/siny.2001.0085. View

Myers S, Dingledine R, Borges K . Genetic regulation of glutamate receptor ion channels. Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol. 1999; 39:221-41. DOI: 10.1146/annurev.pharmtox.39.1.221. View

Modi K, Sendtner M, Pahan K . Up-regulation of ciliary neurotrophic factor in astrocytes by aspirin: implications for remyelination in multiple sclerosis. J Biol Chem. 2013; 288(25):18533-45. PMC: 3689994. DOI: 10.1074/jbc.M112.447268. View

10.

Corbett G, Roy A, Pahan K . Sodium phenylbutyrate enhances astrocytic neurotrophin synthesis via protein kinase C (PKC)-mediated activation of cAMP-response element-binding protein (CREB): implications for Alzheimer disease therapy. J Biol Chem. 2013; 288(12):8299-8312. PMC: 3605648. DOI: 10.1074/jbc.M112.426536. View

11.

Roy A, Modi K, Khasnavis S, Ghosh S, Watson R, Pahan K . Enhancement of morphological plasticity in hippocampal neurons by a physically modified saline via phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase. PLoS One. 2014; 9(7):e101883. PMC: 4090203. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0101883. View

12.

Prut L, Abramowski D, Krucker T, Levy C, Roberts A, Staufenbiel M . Aged APP23 mice show a delay in switching to the use of a strategy in the Barnes maze. Behav Brain Res. 2007; 179(1):107-10. DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2007.01.017. View

13.

Impey S, Goodman R . CREB signaling--timing is everything. Sci STKE. 2001; 2001(82):pe1. DOI: 10.1126/stke.2001.82.pe1. View

14.

Mishizen-Eberz A, Rissman R, Carter T, Ikonomovic M, Wolfe B, Armstrong D . Biochemical and molecular studies of NMDA receptor subunits NR1/2A/2B in hippocampal subregions throughout progression of Alzheimer's disease pathology. Neurobiol Dis. 2004; 15(1):80-92. DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2003.09.016. View

15.

Saha R, Ghosh A, Palencia C, Fung Y, Dudek S, Pahan K . TNF-alpha preconditioning protects neurons via neuron-specific up-regulation of CREB-binding protein. J Immunol. 2009; 183(3):2068-78. PMC: 2724010. DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.0801892. View

16.

Reddy P, Mani G, Park B, Jacques J, Murdoch G, Whetsell Jr W . Differential loss of synaptic proteins in Alzheimer's disease: implications for synaptic dysfunction. J Alzheimers Dis. 2005; 7(2):103-17. DOI: 10.3233/jad-2005-7203. View

17.

Scaglia F, Carter S, OBrien W, Lee B . Effect of alternative pathway therapy on branched chain amino acid metabolism in urea cycle disorder patients. Mol Genet Metab. 2004; 81 Suppl 1:S79-85. DOI: 10.1016/j.ymgme.2003.11.017. View

18.

Bell K, Zheng L, Fahrenholz F, Cuello A . ADAM-10 over-expression increases cortical synaptogenesis. Neurobiol Aging. 2006; 29(4):554-65. DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2006.11.004. View

19.

Modi K, Roy A, Brahmachari S, Rangasamy S, Pahan K . Cinnamon and Its Metabolite Sodium Benzoate Attenuate the Activation of p21rac and Protect Memory and Learning in an Animal Model of Alzheimer's Disease. PLoS One. 2015; 10(6):e0130398. PMC: 4478015. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0130398. View

20.

Selkoe D . Alzheimer's disease is a synaptic failure. Science. 2002; 298(5594):789-91. DOI: 10.1126/science.1074069. View