Li Qinxi, Jia Xiuzhen, Zhong Qixing, Zhong Zhihui, Wang Yu, Tang Cheng, Zhao Bangcheng, Feng Haotian, Hao Jingyu, Zhao Zifu, He Jian, Zhang Yingqian
Laboratory of Nonhuman Primate Disease Modeling Research, Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Health and Multimorbidity, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Front Nutr. 2023 Oct 6;10:1273531. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2023.1273531. eCollection 2023.
Anxiety disorders continue to prevail as the most prevalent cluster of mental disorders following the COVID-19 pandemic, exhibiting substantial detrimental effects on individuals' overall well-being and functioning. Even after a search spanning over a decade for novel anxiolytic compounds, none have been approved, resulting in the current anxiolytic medications being effective only for a specific subset of patients. Consequently, researchers are investigating everyday nutrients as potential alternatives to conventional medicines. Our prior study analyzed the antianxiety and memory-enhancing properties of the combination of Walnut Peptide (WP) and Casein Peptide (CP) in zebrafish.
Based on this work, our current research further validates their effects in mice models exhibiting elevated anxiety levels through a combination of gavage oral administration. Our results demonstrated that at 170 + 300 mg human dose, the WP + CP combination significantly improved performances in relevant behavioral assessments related to anxiety and memory. Furthermore, our analysis revealed that the combination restores neurotransmitter dysfunction observed while monitoring Serotonin, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), dopamine (DA), and acetylcholine (ACh) levels. This supplementation also elevated the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor mRNA, indicating protective effects against the neurological stresses of anxiety. Additionally, there were strong correlations among behavioral indicators, BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor), and numerous neurotransmitters.
Hence, our findings propose that the WP + CP combination holds promise as a treatment for anxiety disorder. Besides, supplementary applications are feasible when produced as powdered dietary supplements or added to common foods like powder, yogurt, or milk.
焦虑症仍然是新冠疫情后最普遍的精神障碍类型，对个人的整体幸福感和功能产生了重大不利影响。即使经过十多年寻找新型抗焦虑化合物的研究，仍无获批药物，导致目前的抗焦虑药物仅对特定患者亚群有效。因此，研究人员正在研究日常营养素作为传统药物的潜在替代品。我们之前的研究分析了核桃肽（WP）和酪蛋白肽（CP）组合在斑马鱼中的抗焦虑和增强记忆特性。
基于这项工作，我们目前的研究通过灌胃口服给药，进一步在焦虑水平升高的小鼠模型中验证了它们的效果。我们的结果表明，在相当于人类剂量170 + 300毫克时，WP + CP组合显著改善了与焦虑和记忆相关的行为评估表现。此外，我们的分析显示，该组合恢复了在监测血清素、γ-氨基丁酸（GABA）、多巴胺（DA）和乙酰胆碱（ACh）水平时观察到的神经递质功能障碍。这种补充还提高了脑源性神经营养因子mRNA的表达，表明对焦虑的神经应激具有保护作用。此外，行为指标、脑源性神经营养因子（BDNF）和多种神经递质之间存在很强的相关性。
因此，我们的研究结果表明，WP + CP组合有望成为治疗焦虑症的方法。此外，制成粉状膳食补充剂或添加到粉末状、酸奶或牛奶等常见食物中进行补充应用是可行的。
