Effect of olive oil consumption on aging in a senescence-accelerated mice-prone 8 (SAMP8) model.

Background : Mediterranean diets have been linked to a reduced risk of cancer, vascular illnesses, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease. Olive oil is the primary fat source in the Mediterranean diet; however, only a few studies have investigated the effect of olive oil on aging. In the present study, we aimed to determine whether consumption of olive oil significantly influences aging and memory in senescence-accelerated mouse-prone 8 (SAMP8). Methods : SAMP8 and senescence-accelerated mouse resistant 1 (SAMR1) mice were fed either 7% soy oil or 1% olive oil and 6% soy oil during a six-month study period. Reduction in memory in passive avoidance learning was examined after two months from the initiation of the experiment. Results : The weight of organs including the liver, kidney, spleen, and fat tissue changed significantly and memory performance was reduced in SAMP8 than in SAMR1 mice. There were no significant differences in SAMP8 and SAMR1 mice; however, blood triglyceride level decreased significantly in SAMP8 mice fed on olive oil. Conclusions : These results suggest that consuming olive oil may not have a protective role in aging and memory recall, but beneficial effects may be related to improvement in lipid metabolism.