EFFECT OF CURCUMIN ON BODY WEIGHT AND COGNITIVE FUNCTION

Purpose: Curcumin (CURC,) a widely-consumed phytochemical, has been reported to attenuate inflammation and improve cognition. The current study addressed the hypothesis that curcumin produces these effects by attenuating adipose tissue. In this study, curcumin-fed, middle aged (15 months) C57BL/6 male mice were used as an experimental model. Methods: Three groups were used in the study: Ad libitum (AL), Caloric restriction (30%) and CURC (1000mg/kg of diet). The mice underwent different cognitive tests (n=19) after 8 weeks of dietary treatment, which tested spatial function (Morris water maze, MWM) and cognitive flexibility (Discriminated active avoidance, DA). Adipose tissue, visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) was collected at the end of the 12 week treatment. Results: Calorically restricted mice (30.33+0.86) weighed significantly less than mice consuming CURC (34.89+0.72) or the AL mice (34.09+0.64), beginning from week 2 of treatment. Food intake of CURC (3.60+0.12) was significantly higher than AL (3.26+0.09) mice. Caloric restriction (8.53+0.70) and CURC (8.16+0.45) took fewer trials to reach criterion in session 3 of DA compared to AL (10.19+0.83). On average, CR (12.33+0.78) took fewer trials to reach criterion in DA. No significant difference between the groups in learning index of MWM. Caloric restriction mice has decreased VAT(0.31+0.03) and SAT (0.26+ 0.02) compared to CURC, VAT(1.09+0.09) and SAT (0.54+0.07), and AL, VAT (1.16+0.11) and SAT (0.61+0.08). Conclusions: Results from this study indicate that curcumin supplementation has positive effects on specific domains of cognition independent of adiposity. Curcumin supplementation may also be responsible for blunting weight gain since CURC mice have increased food intake compared to AL but there is no significant difference in weight between CURC and AL mice.