Composition for improving visual function, learning memory and / or cognitive function and application thereof

Abstract

The invention provides a composition for improving visual function, learning memory and / or cognitive function and application thereof. The composition comprises sodium alginate and calcium, the mass ratio of the sodium alginate to the calcium is (0.5-5): 1, and the composition can also selectively comprise casein. The invention also provides a food containing the composition, and an application of the composition or the food in preparation of a product helpful for improving and / or improving the visual function, learning and memory and / or cognitive function.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of functional nutrient research technology, specifically to a composition for enhancing and / or improving visual function, learning and memory and / or cognitive function, and its application in food, health food and / or food for special medical purposes. Background Technology

[0002] Visual function and learning / memory (cognitive) function are influenced by multiple factors, including but not limited to insufficient nutritional supply during development, imbalance of calcium homeostasis and bone-nerve axis regulation, oxidative stress and inflammation, decreased neural plasticity, sleep and psychological stress, aging, and exposure to environmental toxins. These factors can lead to a decline in contrast sensitivity, dark adaptation, spatial / working memory, and executive function by affecting signal transduction in photoreceptors and retinal ganglion cells, synaptic plasticity of the hippocampus-prefrontal loop, and neurotransmitter and ion channel homeostasis. Existing interventions often focus on a single nutrient or pathway, resulting in relatively singular targets, insufficient synergy, and limited applicability, making it difficult to achieve stable, broad-spectrum, and well-adhered improvements in visual or cognitive decline caused by multiple factors. Summary of the Invention

[0003] One object of the present invention is to provide a composition and its application that helps to enhance and / or improve an individual's visual function, learning and memory and / or cognitive function.

[0004] Another object of the present invention is to provide relevant applications of the composition.

[0005] The present invention aims to provide a safe and effective composition that can effectively improve visual function, learning and memory, and cognitive function.

[0006] The inventors of this case have discovered that the combination of sodium alginate and calcium can effectively improve an individual's visual function, learning and memory, and cognitive function. Furthermore, sodium alginate, calcium, and casein can complement and synergistically improve an individual's visual function, learning and memory, and cognitive function, especially in improving lead exposure damage, particularly for lead-induced visual and / or cognitive impairment.

[0007] On one hand, the present invention provides a composition comprising sodium alginate and calcium, wherein the mass ratio of sodium alginate to calcium is (0.5-5):1.

[0008] According to some specific embodiments of the present invention, in the composition of the present invention, the mass ratio of sodium alginate to calcium is (0.8-3):1.

[0009] According to some specific embodiments of the present invention, in the composition of the present invention, the mass ratio of sodium alginate to calcium is (1.8-2.8):1.

[0010] According to some specific embodiments of the present invention, the composition of the present invention further includes casein, wherein the mass ratio of casein to calcium is (15-28):1.

[0011] According to some specific embodiments of the present invention, the composition of the present invention further includes casein, wherein the mass ratio of casein to calcium is (19-23):1.

[0012] According to some specific embodiments of the present invention, in the composition of the present invention, the mass ratio of sodium alginate, casein and calcium is (1.8-2.8):(19-23):1.

[0013] According to a specific embodiment of the present invention, the raw material for providing the sodium alginate in the composition of the present invention can be commercially available sodium alginate of high purity. Preferably, the sodium alginate has a viscosity of 400-750 mPa·s at 20 degrees Celsius and a particle size of 170 mesh.

[0014] According to a specific embodiment of the present invention, the calcium source in the composition of the present invention may include one or more of the following: calcium lactate, calcium carbonate, calcium acetate, casein calcium, calcium chloride, calcium citrate, calcium citrate, calcium malate, calcium gluconate, calcium lactate, calcium malate, calcium hydrogen phosphate, calcium dihydrogen phosphate, calcium phosphate, calcium sulfate, calcium ascorbate, and calcium glycerophosphate.

[0015] According to a specific embodiment of the present invention, in the composition of the present invention, the casein is derived from cow's milk, sheep's milk, camel's milk, buffalo milk, donkey's milk, and casein-rich raw materials processed from animal milk.

[0016] Unless otherwise specified, the proportions of each functional component in the composition of the present invention are based on the effective content of each functional substance in the raw materials.

[0017] On the other hand, the present invention also provides a food product containing the composition described in the present invention.

[0018] According to some specific embodiments of the present invention, the food of the present invention is a snack, nutritional supplement, health food, or food for special medical purposes. The nutritional supplement, health food, or food for special medical purposes may be in the form of oral liquid, powder, capsule, etc.

[0019] According to some specific embodiments of the present invention, the food of the present invention is a dairy product, such as liquid milk, modified milk, yogurt, cheese, modified milk powder, milk powder, solid beverage, convenience food or candy.

[0020] According to some specific embodiments of the present invention, the food of the present invention contains 100-3000 mg of sodium alginate per 100g of dry matter and 60-6000 mg of calcium per 100g of dry matter.

[0021] According to some specific embodiments of the present invention, the amount of sodium alginate in the food of the present invention is 100-2500 mg / 100g of dry matter.

[0022] According to some specific embodiments of the present invention, the food containing sodium alginate is 150-2000 mg / 100g of dry matter, for example, 150-250 mg / 100g of dry matter, 250-500 mg / 100g of dry matter, 500-1000 mg / 100g of dry matter, 1000-1500 mg / 100g of dry matter, or 1500-2000 mg / 100g of dry matter. Alternatively, the food can be prepared based on the proportion of sodium alginate in the dietary fiber energy supply of the food being 0.01%-1%, preferably 0.02%-0.8%, 0.02%-0.5%, 0.05%-0.15%, or 0.15%-0.5%.

[0023] According to some specific embodiments of the present invention, the calcium content in the food of the present invention is 60-5000 mg / 100g of dry matter, for example, 60-300 mg / 100g of dry matter, 300-800 mg / 100g of dry matter, 800-1500 mg / 100g of dry matter, 1500-3000 mg / 100g of dry matter, or 3000-5000 mg / 100g of dry matter.

[0024] According to some specific embodiments of the present invention, the amount of casein in the food of the present invention is 3-56g / 100g of dry matter, such as 3-5g / 100g of dry matter, 5-15g / 100g of dry matter, 15-25g / 100g of dry matter, or 25-56g / 100g of dry matter.

[0025] It is understandable that, for different types of food, the content of various functional substances in the final product should be appropriately adjusted within the range allowed by relevant standards and regulations.

[0026] On the other hand, the present invention also provides the use of the said composition or the said food in the preparation of products that help improve and / or enhance an individual's visual function, learning and memory and / or cognitive function.

[0027] According to some specific embodiments of the present invention, in the application of the present invention, the benefits of enhancing and / or improving an individual's visual function, learning and memory, and / or cognitive function include: Enhance visual abilities; Improve visual impairment; Slow down or prevent the decline or deterioration of visual ability; Enhance an individual's spatial learning, memory, and / or cognitive functions; and / or Enhance an individual's spatial learning, memory, and / or cognitive functions.

[0028] According to some specific embodiments of the present invention, in the application of the present invention, the benefits of enhancing and / or improving an individual's visual function, learning and memory, and / or cognitive function include: Improves visual impairment caused by individual lead exposure; Improve cognitive impairment caused by lead exposure in individuals; and / or Improve the expression levels of neurodevelopmental markers (e.g., number of Nissl bodies in the hippocampal CA3 region, number of Nissl bodies in the hippocampal DC region, glutamate receptor GRIN2A and / or glutamate receptor GRIN2AB) in individuals exposed to lead.

[0029] According to some specific embodiments of the present invention, in its application, the individual is a person or an animal. The person may be, for example, a child, adolescent, or adult, or someone with a high blood lead level. The animal is preferably a mammal.

[0030] According to some specific embodiments of the present invention, the product may be any of the aforementioned food products, or food products made from the aforementioned composition and / or food products without or with the addition of other substances through further processing.

[0031] According to some specific embodiments of the present invention, the product can be a pharmaceutical product used to treat and / or improve an individual's visual function, learning and memory, and / or cognitive function impairments, particularly for treating and / or improving visual function, learning and memory, and / or cognitive function impairments caused by lead exposure. In addition to sodium alginate, calcium, and casein, the pharmaceutical product of the present invention may also include pharmaceutically acceptable excipients, including excipients, diluents, fillers, and / or absorption enhancers. The pharmaceutical product may be in different forms according to the needs of the recipient, such as powders, tablets, granules, microcapsules, and / or liquid formulations.

[0032] In some specific embodiments of the present invention, a growth animal model of lead exposure was constructed, and a 28-day nutritional intervention was conducted to observe the technical effect of the composition described in the present invention in improving visual and cognitive function impairment caused by lead exposure. The results showed that the combined application of a specific ratio of calcium and sodium alginate could exert a better synergistic effect, further improving visual impairment caused by lead exposure, enhancing learning, memory, and cognitive function, and exhibiting a certain synergistic enhancement effect.

[0033] In some specific embodiments of the present invention, the present invention provides visual and cognitive function development data of growing animals in a normal group (normal calcium intake, no lead exposure) as a positive control for the examples. Visual and cognitive function development data of growing animals in a model group (calcium intake only half of the recommended intake, lead exposure) are provided. Comparative Example 1 (calcium intake reaching the recommended level) provides data on visual and cognitive function in growing animals exposed to lead, demonstrating that supplementing calcium alone, a known lead-competing mineral, tends to improve visual and cognitive function compared to the model group, but cannot achieve significant technical effects in protecting visual and cognitive functions. Example 1 is provided, with sodium alginate:calcium = (1.8-2.8):1. Compared to Comparative Example 1, Example 1 has the same calcium content but only adds sodium alginate. It has a significant technical effect in improving visual function, but no significant effect on indicators of improving cognitive function, such as the number of Nissl bodies in the hippocampal DG region and the glutamate receptor GRIN2A, indicating that adding sodium alginate alone cannot achieve significant effects in improving both visual and cognitive functions. In Example 1, sodium alginate accounts for 0.09% of the dietary energy supply. Compared to the model group and the existing dietary status, the supplemented casein accounts for 4 / 5 of the recommended milk intake, and the supplemented dietary calcium intake accounts for 50% of the RNI, i.e., sodium alginate:casein:calcium = (1.8-2.8):(19-23):1. For a 3-year-old girl, the minimum sodium alginate:calcium ratio is 1.8:1. The dietary energy requirement of a 3-year-old girl is 1150 kcal / day, the recommended milk intake is 300 ml, and the recommended dietary calcium intake is 600 mg / day. Therefore, the mass of sodium alginate accounting for 0.09% of the dietary energy supply is 0.543 g. Supplementing the diet with 4 / 5 of the recommended milk intake can provide 5.76 g of casein and 1 / 2 of the recommended calcium intake, which is 300 mg. The sodium alginate:casein:calcium ratio is 1.8:19:1. For a 15-year-old boy, the maximum ratio of sodium alginate to calcium is 2.8:1. The dietary energy requirement for a 15-year-old boy is 2950 kcal / day. Drinking 600 ml of milk can meet the recommended intake of 75g of protein, and the recommended dietary calcium intake is 1000 mg / day. Therefore, the mass of sodium alginate, accounting for 0.09% of the dietary energy supply, is 1.394 g. Supplementing with 480 ml of dairy products provides approximately 11.52 g of casein and 500 mg of calcium, which is half of the recommended intake. The sodium alginate:calcium ratio is 2.8:23:1. Compared to the model group, the sodium alginate:casein:calcium formula (1.8-2.8):(19-23):1) can achieve significant synergistic effects in multiple indicators related to visual function, learning and memory, and cognitive function protection.

[0034] In summary, the composition and food containing sodium alginate and calcium provided by the present invention help to enhance and / or improve an individual's visual function, learning and memory and / or cognitive function, and have a certain synergistic effect. Attached Figure Description

[0035] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a visual light and dark box.

[0036] Figure 2 Displays the duration of the exposed box area for different groups.

[0037] Figure 3 This displays the number of times different groups entered the open box area.

[0038] Figure 4 This displays the number of Nissl bodies in the CA3 region of the hippocampus in different groups.

[0039] Figure 5 This displays the number of Nissl bodies in the DG region of the hippocampus in different groups.

[0040] Figure 6 The image shows the glutamate receptor GRIN2A in different groups.

[0041] Figure 7 The image shows different groups of glutamate receptor GRIN2B. Detailed Implementation

[0042] Before further describing specific embodiments of the present invention, it should be understood that the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described below; it should also be understood that the terminology used in the embodiments of the present invention is for describing specific embodiments and not for limiting the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0043] When numerical ranges are given in the embodiments, it should be understood that, unless otherwise stated in the present invention, the two endpoints of each numerical range and any value between the two endpoints may be selected.

[0044] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used in this invention have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art.

[0045] In addition to the specific methods, equipment, and materials used in the embodiments, based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art and the description of this invention, any prior art methods, equipment, and materials similar to or equivalent to those described, equipment, and materials in the embodiments of this invention can be used to implement this invention.

[0046] Unless otherwise stated, the experimental methods, detection methods and preparation methods disclosed in this invention all adopt conventional techniques in this technical field.

[0047] As used herein, the term "improved visual function" means an enhancement of visual function, including but not limited to improving visual ability, improving visual impairment, and slowing or preventing the decline or deterioration of visual ability, compared to the same response in the absence of the compositions of the present invention comprising sodium alginate and calcium or further comprising casein. The visual function or ability described includes, but is not limited to, abilities such as contrast sensitivity, dark adaptation, and glare tolerance. In relation to any beneficial effect on visual function or ability, the term "improved" is synonymous with "enhanced," "elevated," or "promoted." In some embodiments of the invention, particularly in cases where an individual's visual function is impaired or threatened, the term "improved visual function" means an effect that reduces, mitigates, or alleviates the degree of visual impairment or the risk of visual impairment, including but not limited to: alleviating adverse symptoms associated with visual impairment; slowing or preventing the onset of symptoms before they occur; slowing or preventing the progression of visual impairment; slowing or preventing the worsening of visual impairment; slowing or preventing irreversible damage in the progressive (or chronic) stage of visual impairment; delaying the onset of (progressive) visual impairment; reducing the severity of visual impairment; curing visual impairment; and preventing the occurrence of visual impairment. The term "visual impairment" or "visual impairment" as used in this article refers to impaired, reduced or deteriorated visual function, to the point that it is difficult to maintain or achieve normal function without intervention. Some common signs of decreased visual function include reduced contrast sensitivity, dark adaptation, glare tolerance, and other abilities.

[0048] As used herein, the term "enhancement of learning, memory, and / or cognitive function" means the ability to improve learning, memory, and / or cognitive function compared to the same response in the absence of the compositions of the present invention comprising sodium alginate and calcium or further comprising casein, including but not limited to enhanced spatial learning and memory abilities (including spatial short-term memory, long-term memory, memory recall, and / or memory recognition), enhanced cognitive abilities, and promotion of the expression levels of neurodevelopmental markers or indicators (e.g., the number of Nissl bodies in the hippocampal CA3 region, the number of Nissl bodies in the hippocampal DC region, and glutamate receptors GRIN2A and / or GRIN2AB). In relation to any beneficial effects on learning, memory, cognitive function, or neurodevelopment, the term "enhancement" is synonymous with "enhancement," "improvement," or "promotion." In some embodiments of the present invention, particularly in cases where an individual's learning, memory, and / or cognitive functions are impaired or threatened, the term "improving learning, memory, and / or cognitive functions" refers to the effect of reducing, mitigating, or alleviating the degree of impairment of learning, memory, and / or cognitive functions, or reducing the risk of impairment of learning, memory, and / or cognitive functions, including but not limited to: alleviating adverse symptoms associated with impairment of learning, memory, and / or cognitive functions; slowing down or preventing the onset of symptoms before they occur; slowing down or stopping the progression of impairment of learning, memory, and / or cognitive functions; slowing down or stopping the deterioration of impairment of learning, memory, and / or cognitive functions; slowing down or stopping irreversible damage in the progressive (or chronic) stage of impairment of learning, memory, and / or cognitive functions; delaying the onset of (progressive) impairment of learning, memory, and / or cognitive functions; reducing the severity of impairment of learning, memory, and / or cognitive functions; curing impairment of learning, memory, and / or cognitive functions; and preventing the occurrence of impairment of learning, memory, and / or cognitive functions. The term "learning memory and / or cognitive impairment" as used in this article refers to impaired, declining or deteriorating learning memory and / or cognitive functions, to the point that they are difficult to maintain or achieve normal function without intervention. Some common signs of declining learning memory and / or cognitive abilities include confusion, poor motor coordination, loss of short-term or long-term memory, identity confusion and / or impaired judgment.

[0049] As used herein, the term "individual" means any animal or human who may benefit from the products of this invention that help improve learning, memory, and / or cognitive function. Generally, when an individual is a human, it can be an infant, child, adolescent, or adult. The term "individual" refers to a human aged 0-3 years from birth, the term "child" refers to a human aged 3-12 years from birth, the term "adolescent" refers to a human aged 12-18 years from birth, and the term "adult" refers to a human aged 18 years or older from birth. When an individual is an animal, it includes, but is not limited to, birds, bovines, canines, equines, felines, goats, wolves, rodents, sheep, and pigs, preferably mammals.

[0050] In all embodiments and experiments, sodium alginate, calcium, and casein used were commercially available food-grade raw materials. Unless otherwise specified, the sodium alginate, calcium, and casein mentioned in this invention are based on the effective content of the functional components sodium alginate, calcium, and casein in the raw materials.

[0051] Sodium alginate is a natural anionic polysaccharide that can form ionic gels and sustained-release carriers with divalent cations in the gastrointestinal tract, which helps in barrier regulation, metal ion complexation, and controlled-release delivery. Calcium is an important secondary messenger for visual signal transduction and synaptic transmission, participating in neurotransmitter release and maintenance of neural plasticity. Casein, as a major component of milk proteins, has a natural advantage in binding calcium / phosphorus (including CPP-like binding sites derived from casein), which is beneficial for calcium dissolution, homeostasis, and absorption, and provides amino acid substrates required for neural structure and function. For ease of evaluation, the examples in this specification use a lead exposure model to measure the technical effects; it should be understood that this model is only an experimental evaluation method, and this invention aims to address the broader need for "improving vision, learning and memory, and / or cognitive function."

[0052] Experimental study on the efficacy of the composition in improving individual lead exposure damage

[0053] In this experiment, a growth animal model of lead exposure was constructed, and a 28-day nutritional intervention was conducted to observe the technical effect of the composition described in this invention in improving visual and cognitive function impairment caused by lead exposure.

[0054] 1. Animal husbandry

[0055] Forty-eight three-week-old female SD rats were purchased from Beijing Speford Biotechnology Co., Ltd. and housed in the animal facility of China Agricultural University. During the experiment, the animal facility was kept quiet, clean, well-ventilated, and under suitable lighting conditions, with a 12-hour light-dark cycle, a temperature of 22 ± 1°C, and a relative humidity of 50–60%. The rats were randomly divided into four groups: a normal group (AIN93G diet), a model group (orally administered 200 mg / kg / day lead acetate, with AIN93G diet containing 2500 mg / kg calcium), a control group (lead exposure intervention group with AIN93G diet containing 5000 mg / kg calcium), and an example group (orally administered 200 mg / kg / day lead acetate, AIN93G diet containing 5000 mg / kg calcium, and sodium alginate 2 g / kg, with sodium alginate accounting for 0.09% of dietary energy). The diets for each group are shown in Table 1.

[0056] Table 1 Feed and intervention details for each group

[0057] 2. Visual-Light Box Behavioral Evaluation

[0058] Taking advantage of rodents' aversion to light, their visual function was analyzed by measuring the time they spent in a brightly lit box and the number of times they entered it. Experimental equipment included... Figure 1 As shown, the experimental animal was placed in the center of a bright box, and a camera recorded its duration and trajectory within the box for 5 minutes. These metrics were then analyzed. Experimental equipment included... Figure 1 As shown.

[0059] 3. Sample collection from rats

[0060] After completing the behavioral experiment, all rats were anesthetized and euthanized. Following anesthesia, the sternum was opened to both ends, and blood was drawn from the apex of the heart using a syringe.

[0061] Sample collection for cryopreservation: A syringe was slowly inserted into the apex of the heart to inject 50 mL of physiological saline for perfusion until the rat's lungs turned white and showed no signs of congestion. The decapitated rat was placed in an icebox, and the hair was cut along the sagittal direction. The skull was carefully cut open using large shears, and the meninges surrounding the brain tissue were removed using ophthalmic forceps. The anterior third of the brain tissue was carefully selected using forceps along the sagittal direction, and then cut coronally to remove the frontal cortex, removing any excess tissue. Cortical tissue was then collected posteriorly along the sagittal direction. The hippocampus was carefully removed using forceps, and excess ash was removed from the tissue and cryopreserved in an icebox.

[0062] Obtaining the fixed sample: A syringe was slowly inserted from the apex of the heart, and 50 mL of physiological saline was injected for perfusion until the rat's lungs turned white and showed no signs of congestion. Then, 50 mL of 4% paraformaldehyde was continued until the rat was in a convulsive state. The head was then decapitated and placed in an ice box. The hair was cut along the sagittal direction, and the skull was carefully cut open with large shears. The meninges surrounding the brain tissue were removed using ophthalmic forceps. The entire brain was carefully removed and placed in 4% paraformaldehyde fixative and stored at 4°C.

[0063] 4. Preparation of tissue sections

[0064] After paraffin embedding the tissue, brain slices of 400-500 μm were cut from the hippocampus and placed on glass slides. The slides were then baked in an oven for 15 minutes. The paraffin was then washed away with xylene, 95% ethanol, 95% ethanol, 80% ethanol, 70% ethanol, and distilled water.

[0065] 5. Immunostaining experiments

[0066] The washed slides were boiled in sodium citrate antigen retrieval solution for 20 minutes for antigen retrieval. They were then permeabilized with 0.5% Triton-PBS solution and washed three times with PBS. The slides were wiped clean and placed in a humidified chamber. An immunohistochemical pen was used to streak along the tissue lines, and blocking buffer was added for 1 hour at room temperature. The blocking buffer was then removed, and the slides were incubated with primary antibody overnight at 4°C. After 30 minutes of warming, the primary antibody was recovered, and the slides were washed with PBS. Secondary antibody was incubated at room temperature for 1 hour, followed by three washes with PBS. A DAPI-containing anti-fluorescence quenching mounting medium was added, and the slides were then fixed with nail polish.

[0067] 6. Nissl staining

[0068] Fixation: The tissue was fixed in a 10% formalin solution; Slicing: Making slices; Dewaxing to water: sequentially passing through xylene and a gradient of alcohols to water; Dye solution preparation: Dissolve tar purple in anhydrous alcohol, then add phosphotungstic acid aqueous solution; Staining: Immerse the sections in the staining solution; Color separation: Use a 5% phosphotungstic acid aqueous solution for color separation; Dehydrated and transparent: Passed sequentially through a gradient of alcohol and xylene; Mounting: Mount the slide with neutral resin; 7. RNA extraction from tissue samples Homogenization: The tissue was ground and pulverized in liquid nitrogen, and then homogenized by adding lysis buffer; Separation: Add an equal volume of chloroform to separate the aqueous and organic phases. Centrifuge the homogenate at 12000g for 20min and collect the supernatant. Precipitation: Wash RNA with isopropanol and 75% ethanol, then centrifuge at 12000g for 10 min; Drying: Remove the supernatant diagonally and dry the precipitate; Dissolve: Dissolve the RNA in RNase-free water.

[0069] 8. Statistical Methods

[0070] All data are expressed as mean ± SEM. Statistical analysis was performed using GraphPad Prism 8 software. One-way ANOVA was used to compare multiple groups, and a p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

[0071] 9. Experimental Results

[0072] See Table 2. Figure 2 and Figure 3Rodents are known to be afraid of light sources. The model group (lead exposure + low calcium model) had the highest duration of activity in the bright box area and the highest number of times it entered the bright box area. This means that lead exposure and low calcium intake caused rats to move more frequently in the bright box area, indicating that lead exposure and low dietary calcium intake caused visual impairment.

[0073] Table 2

[0074] Note: Different letters in the table indicate significant differences (P<0.05).

[0075] Compared with the model group, in Comparative Example 1, the duration of the light box area and the number of times rats entered the light box area decreased under calcium intervention, but there was no significant difference (P>0.05), indicating that calcium can improve the visual function of rats to some extent, but without significant effect.

[0076] Compared with the model group and Comparative Example 1, in Example 1, within the sodium alginate:calcium ratio range of (1.8-2.8):1, the duration of the bright box region and the number of times rats entered the bright box region were significantly reduced (P<0.05). Furthermore, the duration of the bright box region was similar to that of the normal group with no significant difference, while the number of times rats entered the bright box region was lower than that of the normal group (P>0.05), indicating a significant improvement in visual impairment in rats. This demonstrates that calcium and sodium alginate can produce a synergistic effect, achieving an unexpected protective effect on visual function.

[0077] See Table 3 and Figures 4-7 The number of Nissl bodies is an important indicator of the protein synthesis capacity of nerve cells, and glutamate receptors are an important indicator of synaptic signal transduction. To investigate the effects of sodium alginate and calcium on the protein synthesis capacity and synaptic development of hippocampal tissue, correlation analysis and mRNA expression level of Nissl bodies and NMDA-type glutamate receptors in hippocampal tissue were performed.

[0078] Table 3

[0079] Note: Different letters in the table indicate significant differences (P<0.05).

[0080] The model group (lead exposure + low calcium model) had the lowest number of Nissl bodies and the lowest levels of glutamate receptors GRIN2A and GRIN2B. This indicates that lead exposure and low calcium can cause protein synthesis and synaptic damage in rat nerve cells, suggesting that lead exposure and low dietary calcium intake can lead to cognitive impairment.

[0081] Compared with the model group, in Comparative Example 1, under calcium intervention, the number of glutamate receptor GRIN2A was significantly increased, and the number of Nissl bodies and glutamate receptor GRIN2B showed an increasing trend, but there was no significant difference (P>0.05), indicating that calcium can improve the cognitive function of rats to some extent, but without significant effect.

[0082] Compared with the model group and Comparative Example 1, in Example 1, within the sodium alginate:calcium ratio range of (1.8-2.8):1, the number of Nissl bodies, glutamate receptors GRIN2A and GRIN2B were significantly increased (P<0.05), and the number of Nissl bodies and GRIN2B were similar to those in the normal group with no significant difference, indicating that the nervous system damage in rats was significantly improved. This demonstrates that calcium and sodium alginate can produce a synergistic effect, achieving an unexpected cognitive function protective effect.

[0083] The above description of the embodiments is provided to enable those skilled in the art to understand and use the invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications can be made to these embodiments, and the general principles described herein can be applied to other embodiments without inventive effort. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and any improvements and modifications made by those skilled in the art based on the disclosure of the present invention without departing from the scope of the invention should be within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A composition that helps improve visual function, learning and memory, and / or cognitive function, wherein, The composition comprises sodium alginate and calcium, wherein the mass ratio of sodium alginate to calcium is (0.5-5):

1.

2. The composition according to claim 1, wherein, The mass ratio of sodium alginate to calcium is (0.8-3):

1.

3. The composition according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising casein, wherein the mass ratio of casein to calcium is (15-28):

1.

4. A food product, wherein, The food contains the composition according to any one of claims 1-3.

5. The food product according to claim 4, wherein, The food products mentioned are snacks, nutritional supplements, health foods, or foods formulated for special medical purposes.

6. The food product according to claim 4, wherein, The food products mentioned are dairy products, such as liquid milk, flavored milk, yogurt, cheese, flavored milk powder, milk powder, solid beverages, convenience foods, or candies.

7. The food product according to any one of claims 4-6, wherein, The amount of sodium alginate in the food is 100-3000mg / 100g of dry matter, and the amount of calcium is 60-6000mg / 100g of dry matter. Preferably, the amount of casein in the food is 3-56g / 100g of dry matter.

8. The use of the composition according to any one of claims 1-3 or the food according to any one of claims 4-7 in the preparation of products that help improve and / or enhance an individual's visual function, learning and memory and / or cognitive function.

9. The application according to claim 8, wherein, The benefits to improving and / or enhancing an individual's visual function, learning and memory, and / or cognitive function include: Enhance visual abilities; Improve visual impairment; Slow down or prevent the decline or deterioration of visual ability; Enhance an individual's spatial learning, memory, and / or cognitive functions; and / or Enhance an individual's spatial learning, memory, and / or cognitive functions; Optionally, the benefits of enhancing and / or improving an individual's visual function, learning and memory, and / or cognitive function include: Improves visual impairment caused by individual lead exposure; Improve cognitive impairment caused by lead exposure in individuals; Improvement of neurological damage caused by individual lead exposure; and / or Improve the expression levels of neurodevelopmental markers (e.g., number of Nissl bodies in the CA3 region of the hippocampus, number of Nissl bodies in the DC region of the hippocampus, glutamate receptor GRIN2A and / or glutamate receptor GRIN2AB) in individuals exposed to lead.

10. The application according to claim 8 or 9, wherein, The individuals referred to are either people or animals.

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