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DHA and cholesterol containing diets influence Alzheimer-like pathology, cognition and cerebral vasculature in APPswe/PS1dE9 mice
Hooijmans CR, Van der Zee CE, Dederen PJ, Brouwer KM, Reijmer YD, van Groen T, Broersen LM, Lütjohann D et al.. Neurobiology of disease, 2008-12-16
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Cholesterol and docosahexenoic acid (DHA) may affect degenerative processes in Alzheimer's Disease (AD) by influencing Abeta metabolism indirectly via the vasculature. We investigated whether DHA-enriched diets or cholesterol-containing Typical Western Diets (TWD) alter behavior and cognition, cerebral hemodynamics (relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV)) and Abeta deposition in 8- and 15-month-old APP(swe)/PS1(dE9) mice. In addition we investigated whether changes in rCBV precede changes in Abeta deposition or vice versa. Mice were fed regular rodent chow, a TWD-, or a DHA-containing diet. Behavior, learning and memory were investigated, and rCBV was measured using contrast-enhanced MRI. The Abeta load was visualized immunohistochemically. We demonstrate that DHA altered rCBV in 8-month-old APP/PS1 and wild type mice[AU1]. In 15-month-old APP/PS1 mice DHA supplementation improved spatial memory, decreased Abeta deposition and slightly increased rCBV, indicating that a DHA-enriched diet can diminish AD-like pathology. In contrast, TWD diets decreased rCBV in 15-month-old mice. The present data indicate that long-term dietary interventions change AD-like pathology in APP/PS1 mice. Additionally, effects of the tested diets on vascular parameters were observed before effects on Abeta load were noted. These data underline the importance of vascular factors in the APP/PS1 mouse model of AD pathology.
Key findings
- The present data indicate that long-term dietary interventions change AD-like pathology in APP/PS1 mice.
Why it matters
In a mouse model of Alzheimer-like pathology, a DHA-enriched diet improved spatial memory and reduced amyloid deposits, while a Western-style diet reduced cerebral blood volume. These are animal findings and do not establish that such diets affect Alzheimer disease in people.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 42/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Neurobiology of disease) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Neurobiology of Disease: journal h-index 225 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2009 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Laboratory or animal study (title names “mice”) — scores zero |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 171 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 9.0 citations a year over 19 year(s) since 2009 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 6.2× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 1 / 6 | Cited by 1 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 10 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Amanda J. Kiliaan: h-index 51 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Radboud University Nijmegen: institution h-index 1,143 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 6 institution(s) in 3 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 19130883) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 42 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
- DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2008.12.002
- PubMed: 19130883
- Original source →
- Free full text: Radboud Repository (Radboud University) →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Hooijmans, C. R., Van der Zee, C. E., Dederen, P. J., Brouwer, K. M., Reijmer, Y. D., van Groen, T., et al. (2009). DHA and cholesterol containing diets influence Alzheimer-like pathology, cognition and cerebral vasculature in APPswe/PS1dE9 mice. Neurobiology of disease. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nbd.2008.12.002
Vancouver
Hooijmans CR, Van der Zee CE, Dederen PJ, Brouwer KM, Reijmer YD, van Groen T, et al. DHA and cholesterol containing diets influence Alzheimer-like pathology, cognition and cerebral vasculature in APPswe/PS1dE9 mice. Neurobiology of disease. 2009. doi:10.1016/j.nbd.2008.12.002. PMID: 19130883.
BibTeX
@article{hooijmans2009-19130883,
author = {Hooijmans, C. R. and Van der Zee, C. E. and Dederen, P. J. and Brouwer, K. M. and Reijmer, Y. D. and van Groen, T. and Broersen, L. M. and Lütjohann, D. and others},
title = {{DHA and cholesterol containing diets influence Alzheimer-like pathology, cognition and cerebral vasculature in APPswe/PS1dE9 mice}},
journal = {Neurobiology of disease},
year = {2009},
doi = {10.1016/j.nbd.2008.12.002},
pmid = {19130883},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nbd.2008.12.002}
}
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