Impact of enriched environment on production of tau, amyloid precursor protein and, amyloid-β peptide in high-fat and high-sucrose-fed rats.

OBJECTIVE: The Western-type diet is associated with an elevated risk of Alzheimer's disease and other milder forms of cognitive impairment. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of the environmental enrichment on amyloid and tau pathology in high-fat and high-sucrose-fed rats.

METHODS: In total, 40 adult male rats were categorised into two main groups according to their housing conditions: enriched environment (EE, n=16) and standard housing condition (n=24). The groups were further divided into five subgroups that received standard diet, high-fat diet, and high-sucrose diet. We performed the analysis of amyloid β-peptide (Aβ) (1-40), Aβ(1-42), amyloid precursor protein (APP), and tau levels in the hippocampus of rats that were maintained under standard housing conditions or exposed to an EE.

RESULTS: The EE decreased the Aβ(1-40), Aβ(1-42), APP, and tau levels in high-fat and high-sucrose-fed rats.

CONCLUSION: This observation shows that EE may rescue diet-induced amyloid and tau pathology.