Laboratory for Molecular and Developmental Biology, Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan.
Neuroscience. 2022 Oct 1;501:42-51. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2022.08.013. Epub 2022 Aug 18.
In general, catechins contained in green tea are believed to have positive effects on the human body and mental health. The intake of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a major polyphenol in green tea, is known to be effective for retinal protection; however, whether green tea and/or EGCG affect visual function remains unknown. In the present study, we investigated the effect of green tea and EGCG on visual motion processing by measuring optokinetic responses (OKRs) in young adult and aging mice. Young and aging mice (C57BL6/J) were fed a control diet (control) or the test diet, which contained matcha green tea powder or green tea extract (dried sencha green tea infusion), for 1 month, and their OKRs were measured. They were then intraperitoneally administered saline (control) or EGCG, and OKRs were measured. We found that the OKRs of young and aging mice after green tea intake and after EGCG administration showed higher temporal sensitivity than those of control mice. The visual ability to detect moving objects was enhanced in young and aging mice upon intake of green tea or EGCG. From the above results, the visual motion processing for optokinetic responses by ingesting green tea was enhanced, which may be related to the effect of EGCG.
一般认为，绿茶中所含的儿茶素对人体和心理健康有积极影响。众所周知，摄入绿茶中主要的多酚类物质——表没食子儿茶素没食子酸酯（EGCG）对视网膜有保护作用；然而，绿茶和/或 EGCG 是否会影响视觉功能尚不清楚。在本研究中，我们通过测量年轻成年和衰老小鼠的光运动反应（OKR）来研究绿茶和 EGCG 对视觉运动处理的影响。年轻和衰老的（C57BL6/J）小鼠分别用对照饮食（对照）或测试饮食（含有抹茶绿茶粉或绿茶提取物（干燥的煎茶））喂养 1 个月，并测量它们的 OKR，然后对其进行腹腔内注射生理盐水（对照）或 EGCG，并测量 OKR。我们发现，与对照组相比，摄入绿茶后和 EGCG 给药后年轻和衰老小鼠的 OKR 显示出更高的时间敏感性。年轻和衰老的小鼠在摄入绿茶或 EGCG 后，检测移动物体的视觉能力增强。从上述结果可知，通过摄入绿茶增强了光运动反应的视觉运动处理能力，这可能与 EGCG 的作用有关。
