Ergothioneine improves cognitive function by ameliorating mitochondrial damage and decreasing neuroinflammation in a d-galactose-induced aging model

Ergothioneine (EGT) is a sulfur-containing amino acid with strong antioxidant activity. In this study, a D-galactose induced mouse aging model was used to investigate the anti-aging effects of EGT. EGT intervention could significantly improve the recognition memory of aging mice. Additionally, it improved the D-galactose induced decrease in the number of neurones, enhanced the levels of cAMP and BDNF in the brain, and increased the density and expression of PSD95 in aging mice. Meanwhile, EGT could attenuate oxidative stress by reducing the content of MDA and enhancing T-SOD activity via the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway. In addition, EGT could alleviate mitochondrial function by regulating the AMPK/SIRT1/PGC-1α pathway, which in turn attenuated D-galactose induced hippocampal neuronal injury and improved the learning and memory abilities in mice. This study provides a potential dietary strategy to improve age-induced memory impairment.