A novel compound nutrition powder ameliorates scopolamine-induced cognitive impairment via activating the PKA/CREB/BDNF signaling pathway and restoring cholinergic function

Nutritional deficiencies during adolescence can impair brain development and the formation of learning and memory, making early dietary intervention a recent research focus. In this experiment, mice were administered DHA, zeaxanthin, a basic nutritional powder, and a compound nutritional powder containing DHA, zeaxanthin, and blueberry powder for 100 days, followed by 10 days of intraperitoneal injection of scopolamine. Cognitive abilities were subsequently assessed using the Morris water maze, passive avoidance test, and novel object recognition test. Following behavioral testing, serum antioxidant markers, hippocampal ACh and AChE levels, and p-PKA, p-CREB, and BDNF protein expression levels were measured. Results indicated scopolamine induced cognitive impairment, oxidative stress, and cholinergic dysfunction. The compound nutritional powder group significantly enhanced learning and memory abilities, increased antioxidant capacity, regulated cholinergic system balance, up-regulated p-PKA, p-CREB, and BDNF protein expression levels, and activated the PKA/CREB/BDNF signaling pathway. Compared to single components, the compound nutritional powder demonstrated superior efficacy in improving learning and memory abilities, promoting brain development, and ameliorate memory impairment, exhibiting potential as a functional food supplement for memory enhancement.