Page 12 - Diet And Dementia Casein Antioxidants DHEA

HOW

Cats received a health examination prior to enrollment and at the end of the study. Cats were observed for 10 minutes a day for 5 days
a week for 3.5 months by a trained observer. The first 2 weeks of observation were habituation (getting used to the observer), and in
the next 4 weeks’ observations for baseline prior to intervention were obtained without any supplementation. Starting in week 7, cats
were randomly assigned to receive either 12.5 mg/kg body weight of tryptophan or a placebo control with their daily meal and behavioral
observations continued for the next 8 weeks.

RESULTS
Cats in the tryptophan supplemented group had significantly decreased displays of behavior associated with anxiety and stress
[stereotypes (repetitive movements), vocalization, antagonistic (fighting), affiliative, exploring and sustaining behavior] compared with
the placebo group (P<0.05 for each).

CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE
Supplementation of cats from multi-cat households with dietary tryptophan may be a beneficial adjunct to decrease signs of stress and
anxiety and improve animal welfare.

EFFECT OF ALPHA-CASOZEPINE (ZYLKENE) ON ANXIETY IN CATS .

Beata C, Beaumont-Graff E, Coll V, et al. J Vet Behav. 2007;2(2):40-46.

BACKGROUND
Caseins, the major proteins in ruminant milk, may undergo hydrolysis secondary to the effects of trypsin in the digestive tract. This
results in production of peptides of varying length that are subject to either further digestion or have biological activity. One such
decapeptide, _-casozepine [generally recognized as a safe (GRAS) ingredient] has been associated with significant improvements
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in alleviation of stress, using models of anxiety in rodents and people . The original mechanism of action was proposed to be through
effects on the gamma amino butyric acid (GABA) receptor. The exact mechanism of the anxiolytic effect is unknown and may be
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mediated through effects on the serotonin, dopamine, or GABA receptor systems .
GABA receptors bind GABA and usually are considered to produce inhibitory responses within the CNS. Activation of GABA receptors helps
to blunt anxiety signals in the brain. Serotonin has been associated with alleviation of depression and general increases in happiness.
Serotonin in the CNS generally is regarded to influence mood, satiety, cognitive and learning ability as well as multiple other physiologic
functions. Increased concentrations of serotonin have been associated with a feeling of happiness and decreased anxiety. Dopamine
is a member of the catecholamine family and its release is considered a reward signal for the brain. If _-casozepine or smaller peptides
from _-S-casein have biologic activity through modulation of any of these systems, it could result in an anxiolytic effect (Figure 2).