Açaí (Euterpe oleracea) pulp-enriched diet induces anxiolytic-like effects and improves memory retention

BACKGROUND: Açaí (Euterpe oleracea) has a rich nutritional composition, showing nutraceutical and protective effects in several organs. In this study, the effects of an açaí-enriched diet on motor performance, anxiety-like behavior, and memory retention were deeply investigated. METHODS: Eight-week male Wistar rats were fed with an Euterpe oleracea (EO) pulp-enriched diet, an olive oil-enriched (OO) diet (polyunsaturated fatty acid [PUFA] fat control diet), or a chow diet for 31 days (28 days pre-treatment and 3 days during behavioral tests). Afterward, animals were submitted to a battery of behavioral tests to evaluate spontaneous motor behavior (open-field test), anxiety-like behavior (elevated plus maze and open-field test), and memory retention (step-down). Oxidative stress in the hippocampus was evaluated by a lipid peroxidation assay. RESULTS: EO-enriched diet did not influence the body weight and food intake but increased the glucose plasmatic level after 31 days under this diet. However, a similar fat-enriched diet stimulated a marked weight gain and reduced the food intake, followed by changes in the plasmatic lipid markers. EO-enriched diet preserved the motor spontaneous performance, increased the exploration in the aversive environment (anxiolytic-like effects), and elevated the latency to step-down (improved memory retention). The EO-enriched diet also reduced the level of lipid peroxidation in the hippocampus. These positive effects of EO-enriched diet can greatly support the usage of this diet as a preventive therapy. CONCLUSION: Taken together, the current study suggests that Euterpe oleracea-enriched diet promotes anxiolytic-like effects and improves memory consolidation, possibly due to the reduced levels of lipid peroxidation in the hippocampus.