Caffeine reduces motor performance and antioxidant enzyme capacity in the brain of female G93A mice, an animal model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)

Oxidative stress is associated with several neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson's (PD), Alzheimer's (AD) and ALS. Caffeine (CAF) consumption is protective in PD and AD, however findings from our lab suggest that CAF in G93A mice may not be protective, since CAF supplementation shortened life span in females by 6 days (4.4%) vs. control (CON) mice. We therefore investigated the effect of CAF on food intake (FI), body weight (BW), body condition (BC), motor performance (MP), ability to move (AM), clinical score (CS), and antioxidant enzyme protein content (MnSOD; catalase, CAT; glutathione reductase, GR) using Western blotting techniques in the brain of sixteen 108‐d old female G93A mice. Starting at age 40 d, mice were equally divided into CON or CAF. CAF was added to the food, equivalent to amounts found in 5 ‐ 10 cups of coffee/day (mg/g body weight). FI increased over time (P < 0.001); CAF consumed 29% more vs. CON (P = 0.001). BW increased over time (P < 0.001); CAF were 5% heavier vs. CON (P = 0.032). MP was non‐significantly lower in CAF vs. CON over time (NS), with a very strong trend at age 107 d (47%, P = 0.053). CAF reduced GR by 35% (P = 0.008), CAT by 32% (P = 0.022), and MnSOD by 18% (P = 0.062) vs. CON. BC, AM, and CS were not significant between groups. We conclude that although CAF increases FI and BW, motor performance is hindered and antioxidant enzyme capacity is reduced. (Supported by HHSF, NSERC, York U‐Health).

Caffeine reduces motor performance and antioxidant enzyme capacity in the brain of female G93A mice, an animal model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) Conferences