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[A1CR]

[posted on behalf of CRON4healthy future; ]2003-03-01]

This study out of the U.K. indicated that CR exacerbated neuronal loss
associated with aging.

Additionally, this may relate tangentially to discussions related to CR and
its effect on motor neuron diseases such as ALS.

My personal take is that CR "reduces" cell numbers in accordance with its
general "anti-proliferative" effect, and that this does not necessarily
constitute a significant deterimental effect on organ system function.

But, you never know.


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Neuroscience 2003;117(1):97-104 Related Articles, Links


Age, diet and injury affect the survival of facial motoneurons.

Aperghis M, Johnson IP, Patel N, Khadir A, Cannon J, Goldspink G.

Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology and Department of Surgery,
Royal Free and University College Medical School, Rowland Hill Street, NW3
2PF, London, UK

Using the model of facial nerve avulsion, we have compared the effects of
injury, age and diet on motoneuronal survival. One to four weeks after
nerve avulsion, 50-75% motoneuron loss was quantified in ad libitum-fed
rats aged 7 days (neonate), 6 months (adult) and 24 months (aging) at the
time of injury. Evidence of apoptosis was found for neonatal rats at 3 days
post-injury, but not for neonates examined 7 days or adult or aging rats
examined 1 month after injury. Non-operated, ad libitum-fed rats showed no
significant loss of facial motoneurons by 24 months. Surprisingly, non-
operated rats whose food intake was restricted to 15 g standard rat chow
per day from the age of 6 months lost 50% of their motoneurons by 24
months. Facial nerve avulsion of 24-month-old rats raised on this
restricted diet did not result in any additional loss of motoneurons one
month after injury. These results challenge the common view that aging
results in neuronal loss and that dietary restriction is universally
beneficial.

PMID: 12605896 [PubMed - in process]