Therapeutic Interventions to Mitigate Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Oxidative Stress-Induced Damage in Patients with Bipolar Disorder.

Bipolar disorder (BD) is characterized by mood changes, including recurrent manic, hypomanic, and depressive episodes, which may involve mixed symptoms. Despite the progress in neurobiological research, the pathophysiology of BD has not been extensively described to date. Progress in the understanding of the neurobiology driving BD could help facilitate the discovery of therapeutic targets and biomarkers for its early detection. Oxidative stress (OS), which damages biomolecules and causes mitochondrial and dopamine system dysfunctions, is a persistent finding in patients with BD. Inflammation and immune dysfunction might also play a role in BD pathophysiology. Specific nutrient supplements (nutraceuticals) may target neurobiological pathways suggested to be perturbed in BD, such as inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and OS. Consequently, nutraceuticals may be used in the adjunctive treatment of BD. This paper summarizes the possible roles of OS, mitochondrial dysfunction, and immune system dysregulation in the onset of BD. It then discusses OS-mitigating strategies that may serve as therapeutic interventions for BD. It also analyzes the relationship between diet and BD as well as the use of nutritional interventions in the treatment of BD. In addition, it addresses the use of lithium therapy; novel antipsychotic agents, including clozapine, olanzapine, risperidone, cariprazine, and quetiapine; and anti-inflammatory agents to treat BD. Furthermore, it reviews the efficacy of the most used therapies for BD, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, bright light therapy, imagery-focused cognitive therapy, and electroconvulsive therapy. A better understanding of the roles of OS, mitochondrial dysfunction, and inflammation in the pathogenesis of bipolar disorder, along with a stronger elucidation of the therapeutic functions of antioxidants, antipsychotics, anti-inflammatory agents, lithium therapy, and light therapies, may lead to improved strategies for the treatment and prevention of bipolar disorder.

Most Effective Combination of Nutraceuticals for Improved Memory and Cognitive Performance in the House Cricket, Acheta domesticus.

BACKGROUND: Dietary intake of multivitamins, zinc, polyphenols, omega fatty acids, and probiotics have all shown benefits in learning, spatial memory, and cognitive function. It is important to determine the most effective combination of antioxidants and/or probiotics because regular ingestion of all nutraceuticals may not be practical. This study examined various combinations of nutrients to determine which may best enhance spatial memory and cognitive performance in the house cricket (Acheta domesticus (L.)). METHODS: Based on the 31 possible combinations of multivitamins, zinc, polyphenols, omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), and probiotics, 128 house crickets were divided into one control group and 31 experimental groups with four house crickets in each group. Over eight weeks, crickets were fed their respective nutrients, and an Alternation Test and Recognition Memory Test were conducted every week using a Y-maze to test spatial working memory. RESULTS: The highest-scoring diets shared by both tests were the combination of multivitamins, zinc, and omega-3 fatty acids (VitZncPuf; Alternation: slope = 0.07226, Recognition Memory: slope = 0.07001), the combination of probiotics, polyphenols, multivitamins, zinc, and omega-3 PUFAs (ProPolVitZncPuf; Alternation: slope = 0.07182, Recognition Memory: slope = 0.07001), the combination of probiotics, multivitamins, zinc, and omega-3 PUFAs (ProVitZncPuf; Alternation: slope = 0.06999, Recognition Memory: slope = 0.07001), and the combination of polyphenols, multivitamins, zinc, and omega-3 PUFAs (PolVitZncPuf; Alternation: slope = 0.06873, Recognition Memory: slope = 0.06956). CONCLUSION: All of the nutrient combinations demonstrated a benefit over the control diet, but the most significant improvement compared to the control was found in the VitZncPuf, ProVitZncPuf, PolVitZncPuf, and ProPolVitZncPuf. Since this study found no significant difference between the performance and improvement of subjects within these four groups, the combination of multivitamins, zinc, and omega-3 fatty acids (VitZncPuf) was concluded to be the most effective option for improving memory and cognitive performance.