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A new study by researchers at the University of Delaware College of Health Sciences in collaboration with a team at the National Institute on Aging has found that the naturally occurring dietary supplement nicotinamide riboside (NR) can enter the brain and protect against neurological damage in mouse models of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.
The study, which was published in the journal Nature Communications in 2018, is the first to show that NR is able to cross the blood-brain barrier, a protective barrier that separates the bloodstream from the brain and can prevent certain substances from entering the brain.
NR is a form of vitamin B3 that has been shown to have a number of health benefits, including improving mitochondrial function and increasing cellular energy production. However, it was not previously known whether NR could cross the blood-brain barrier, which is an important factor in determining whether it can be used to treat neurological disorders.
To investigate this, the researchers gave mice a single dose of NR and then examined its presence in the brain over time. They found that NR was able to cross the blood-brain barrier and accumulate in the brain, where it was able to increase levels of a molecule called NAD+ that is important for cellular energy production and has been shown to decline with age and in neurodegenerative diseases.
In addition, the researchers found that NR was able to protect against neuronal damage in mouse models of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. Specifically, they found that NR was able to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, which are two factors that contribute to the progression of these diseases.
The findings of this study have important implications for the potential use of NR as a treatment for neurodegenerative diseases. However, further research is needed to determine the safety and efficacy of NR in humans, and to explore its potential as a treatment for these diseases.
The lead author of the study, Dr. Li-Shin Huang, commented on the findings, saying “Our study provides important insights into the potential health benefits of nicotinamide riboside and its ability to enter the brain and protect against neurological damage. This could have significant implications for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, which are a growing public health concern.”
The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Glenn Foundation for Medical Research.
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