Dietary restriction mitigates phenotypes induced by traumatic brain injury (TBI) in female Drosophila.

Abstract

TBI occurs when sudden trauma to the head causes damage to the brain, leading to long-term health problems. Many features of TBI can be replicated in Drosophila , making them an ideal model. Previous research on male flies showed that TBI decreases lifespan and locomotion, both of which were ameliorated by dietary restriction (DR). Considering female flies are known to be more responsive to DR, we examined whether DR ameliorates the effect of TBI in females. We found DR significantly extended lifespan and improved climbing ability at 2 weeks post-TBI, consistent with prior results in males.