Chronic dietary assumption of extra-virgin olive oil rich in polyphenols reverses age-related dysfunctions in motor coordination and contextual memory in mice

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of olive oil phenols on brain aging in a rodent model. C57Bl/6J mice were fed from middle age to senescence with a diet containing 10% w/w extra-virgin olive oil rich or deprived in antioxidant phenols. Mice were subjected to a battery of behavioural tests to assess cognitive, motor and emotional behaviour. In order to correlate functional changes with brain biochemical alterations, parameters of oxidative status and inflammation were measured in different brain areas. The results show that age-related increases of oxidative stress and inflammation were detectable in cerebellum and cortex and not in hippocampus and striatum. The treatment with olive oil phenols, and not with resveratrol, reverted these biochemical changes, improved contextual memory in the step-down passive avoidance test and prevented the age-related impairment in motor coordination in the rotarod test.