Multiple therapies curb declining ability to learn with age

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From Medical News Today 18 Jan 2005

Multiple therapies curb declining ability to learn with age

Combination of behavioral enrichment and antioxidant supplementation in diet

reveal clear-cut benefits -

A new study of beagles led by researchers at the University of Toronto at

Scarborough underscores the importance of using a combination of diet and

behaviour therapies to curb the progressive decline in the ability to learn that

occurs with advanced aging.

“We were really surprised just how clear-cut the benefit is of using a combined

therapy,” says lead investigator and psychology professor Bill Milgram of the U

of T at Scarborough, who specializes in aging research.

The results of the study, published in the January 2005 issue of Neurobiology of

Aging, looked at the impact four combinations of behavioural enrichment and

supplementation of diet with antioxidants had on a beagle's ability to learn as

the senior dog grew older. The first group had a regular diet and regular

experience; the second received a regular diet and enriched experience; the

third group a regular experience and an enriched diet; and the fourth group an

enriched diet and an enriched experience.

Whereas previous studies have looked at dogs of different ages all at once to

identify age-related differences, this investigation followed four groups of

dogs over a period of two years. As predicted, the researchers found a dog's

ability to learn declines with age. What they had not anticipated was seeing

such a statistically-significant benefit of combining behavioral enrichment and

the antioxidant supplementation compared to giving either alone.

“Since humans and dogs have many biological and behavioral parallels, I predict

similar results would be attained in people,” notes Milgram. The study was

funded by the National Institute of Aging and the U.S. Department of the Army.

The following conflict of interest was declared by the authors with respect to

publication of this paper: investigator Zicker is an employee of Hill's

Pet Nutrition Inc., which has commercialized the antioxidant fortified food used

in the study.

Marshall

University of Toronto