Abstract
Morphological changes in neuromuscular junctions (NMJs), which are synapses formed between α-motor neurons and skeletal muscle fibers, are considered to be important in age-related motor dysfunction. We have previously shown that the intake of dietary milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) combined with exercise attenuates age-related NMJ alterations in the early phase of aging. However, it is unclear whether the effect of MFGM with exercise on age-related NMJ alterations persists into old age, and whether intervention from old age is still effective when age-related changes in NMJs have already occurred. In this study, 6- or 18-month-old mice were treated with a 1% MFGM diet and daily running wheel exercise until 23 or 24 months of age, respectively. MFGM treatment with exercise was effective in suppressing the progression of age-related NMJ alterations in old age, and even after age-related changes in NMJs had already occurred. Moreover, the effect of MFGM intake with exercise was not restricted to NMJs but extended to the structure and function of peripheral nerves. This study demonstrates that MFGM intake with exercise may be a novel approach for improving motor function in the elderly by suppressing age-related NMJ alterations.
Highlights
As the world’s population ages, it is very important to attenuate the age-related decline in motor function in order to maintain quality of life [1,2]
One of the neural factors that can result in muscle weakness is age-related dysfunction of the neuromuscular junction (NMJ), the synapse formed between α-motor neurons and skeletal muscle fibers
To determine whether the inhibitory effects of milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) with exercise on age-related changes in motor function and NMJs observed in middle-aged animals [25] were maintained into old age, running wheel exercise and MFGM loading were performed from the age of 6 months
Summary
As the world’s population ages, it is very important to attenuate the age-related decline in motor function in order to maintain quality of life [1,2]. We found that the intake of MFGM with exercise from a young age (6 months) attenuates the age-related morphological deterioration of NMJs in mice in the early phase of aging (at 14 months of age) [25] These findings suggest that MFGM intake with exercise can improve motor function by suppressing age-related NMJ dysfunction. It is unclear whether the effect of MFGM with exercise on age-related NMJ alterations persists into old age, and whether intervention at an old age is still effective when age-related changes in NMJs have already occurred. This suggests that MFGM with exercise has the potential to be a new approach for improving motor function in the elderly to suppress age-related NMJ alterations
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