Enteral Uridine and Omega-3 Composition for Mild Memory Impairment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current treatments for memory impairment, particularly in subjects with a mini-mental state examination score of 24-26, are ineffective and often come with significant side effects, making it challenging to improve memory function in this subgroup.

Innovation Solution

A composition comprising uridine or uridine phosphate, and docosahexaenoic acid and/or eicosapentaenoic acid, administered enterally, has been found to significantly improve memory function in subjects with a mini-mental state examination score of 24-26.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If pharmaceutical drugs are administered to subjects with MMSE 24-26, then memory function may be improved, but side effects increase and the balance between side effects and benefits becomes negative

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvememory function improvementVSAvoidside effects
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces expensive pharmaceutical drugs with a nutritional composition containing uridine and omega-3 fatty acids. This nutritional approach acts as a temporary, low-risk intervention that can delay or reduce the need for pharmaceutical treatment in subjects with very mild memory impairment (MMSE 24-26), thereby reducing side effects while maintaining memory function improvement benefits

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If nutritional therapy is provided to subjects with MMSE 24-26, then side effects are reduced, but the effectiveness of memory improvement is difficult to detect due to mild symptoms

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveside effectsVSAvoidmemory improvement detection
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by intervening early in the disease progression when subjects have MMSE scores of 24-26 (very mild impairment). The nutritional composition is administered before significant pathological development occurs, making it easier to detect and measure memory improvement. This early intervention approach allows researchers to observe positive effects before the disease progresses to stages where improvement becomes harder to detect

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Measurement precision

If intensive testing is conducted to detect memory improvement, then treatment effectiveness can be measured, but the complexity and cost of the study increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvememory improvement detectionVSAvoidtesting complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs partial action by focusing intensive testing specifically on the very mild impairment group (MMSE 24-26) rather than conducting exhaustive testing across all dementia stages. This targeted approach achieves sufficient measurement precision to detect memory improvement in this specific subgroup without the excessive complexity and cost that would result from comprehensive testing of all patient populations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS12233039B2Memory in subjects with mini-mental state examination of 24-26
Publication Date: 2025.02.25 NV NUTRICIA

AI summary

The invention thus pertains to the use of a composition comprising: (a) uridine or uridine phosphate; and (b) docosahexaenoic acid and/or eicosapentaenoic acid, for improving memory and/or the treatment or prevention of impaired memory function, in a subject with a mini-mental state examination of 24-26, wherein said composition is enterally administered to the subject. In the MMSE test, any score of 27 or higher (out of 30) is effectively normal. In the patients with dementia, 20-26 indicates mild dementia, 10-19 moderate dementia, and below 10 severe dementia. It was the present inventors' belief that within the group of 20-26, the memory impairment in the sub-group of 24-26 may even be reversible, as the pathological pathways have just started to develop. In this group of subjects the pathological pathways have just started to develop. Clinical studies show excellent results for this subgroup.