Summary
Time-restricted feeding (6-hour feeding/18-hour fasting aligned with active phase) improved locomotor activity rhythms, sleep awakening time, heart rate variability, and motor performance in a Huntington's disease mouse model after three months of intervention. These findings suggest that circadian-aligned behavioral interventions may offer a non-pharmacological strategy to slow neurodegeneration and improve quality of life in HD patients, with potential implications for lighting-based circadian support in clinical settings.
Key Findings
- TRF-treated Q175 mice showed improved locomotor activity rhythms and sleep awakening time after 3 months of treatment (starting at 6 months of age)
- Improved heart rate variability (HRV) in TRF-treated mice indicated amelioration of autonomic nervous system dysfunction
- Motor performance improvements in TRF-treated Q175 mice were significantly correlated with improved circadian output
- NanoString gene expression assays revealed that several HD-relevant striatal markers were restored to wild-type levels in TRF-treated mice
- Circadian dysfunction manifests early in both HD patients and the Q175 mouse model, making it a potential early intervention target
Categories
Sleep & Circadian Health: Study demonstrates that circadian rhythm dysfunction is an early manifestation of Huntington's disease and that time-restricted feeding can restore circadian output in a mouse model.
Dementia & Elder Care: Findings are relevant to neurodegenerative disease management, showing that non-pharmacological circadian interventions can delay disease progression and improve motor and autonomic function.
Author(s)
AJ Morton
Publication Year
2023
Number of Citations
1
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