Scientists Discover Natural Soy Compound That Could Protect the Brain From Too Much Salt

Salt’s effects beyond blood pressure

Excessive salt intake is linked to hypertension and may also affect memory, thinking and emotional well-being. Researchers in Japan studied whether LPC70, a soy-derived compound, could ease some effects of a high-salt diet in mice.

A closer look at signaling

Prostaglandins are signaling molecules made from arachidonic acid. They help regulate bodily functions, including blood vessel widening and narrowing, and their effects in the brain can vary depending on which receptors they activate.

A team led by Professor Akihiro Mouri and Dr. Hisayoshi Kubota, working with Dr. Kazuhiro Kagotani, examined these pathways in mice on a high-salt diet. Kubota measured blood pressure, observed behavior and analyzed molecular activity related to prostaglandins.

Changes observed in mice

Mice on the high-salt diet developed elevated blood pressure. They also showed less social interaction and had trouble recognizing objects they had previously encountered, while general movement and anxiety-like behavior did not substantially change.

Adding LPC70 to the diet improved blood pressure and performance in tests of social interaction and object-recognition memory. Researchers then examined changes in the animals’ kidneys and brains to investigate the biological processes behind those results.