Abstract
Recent evidence suggests that physical and mental health are influenced by an intricate interaction between genes and environment. Environmental factors have been shown to modulate neuronal gene expression and function by epigenetic mechanisms. Exposure to these factors including nutrients during sensitive periods of life could program brain development and have long-lasting effects on mental health. Studies have shown that early nutritional intervention that includes methyl-donors improves cognitive functions throughout life. Choline is a micronutrient and a methyl donor that is required for normal brain growth and development. It plays a pivotal role in maintaining structural and functional integrity of cellular membranes. It also regulates cholinergic signaling in the brain via the synthesis of acetylcholine. Via its metabolites, it participates in pathways that regulate methylation of genes related to memory and cognitive functions at different stages of development. Choline-related functions have been dysregulated in some neurodegenerative diseases suggesting choline role in influencing mental health across the lifespan.
Highlights
Emerging evidence suggests that environmental factors such as repeated exposure to drugs of abuse, stressors, lifestyle factors such as physical activity and diet have substantial effects on mental health and well-being
Could an individualized nutrition-based approach be adopted early on in life to boost mental health or delay the progression of these debilitating diseases with aging? Here we summarize some of the findings derived from animal and human studies that documented a potential role of methyl-donors in modulating brain cognitive functions, memory and learning with aging and in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s Disease
Choline is considered a neuroprotectant that modulates expression of key genes related to memory, learning and cognitive functions by epigenetic mechanisms
Summary
Emerging evidence suggests that environmental factors such as repeated exposure to drugs of abuse, stressors, lifestyle factors such as physical activity and diet have substantial effects on mental health and well-being. Down Syndrome [23,24,25] and Rett Syndrome [26] and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD) [27] These various effects of choline on the functioning of the developing and aging brain often correlated with epigenetic changes such as histone marks changes or DNA methylation changes of key genes related to cognitive functions [28]. This suggests that choline as an environmental factor and as a micronutrient has neuroprotective effects and programs brain development during early life via an epigenetic mechanism of action [29,30].
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