Sunflower Oil Fortified with Vitamins D and A and Sunflower Lecithin Ameliorated Scopolamine-Induced Cognitive Dysfunction in Mice and Exploration of the Underlying Protective Pathways

The incidence of cognitive disorders is increasing globally, with a reported prevalence of over 50 million individuals affected, and current interventions offer limited efficacy. This study investigates the effects of sunflower oil fortified with sunflower lecithin, vitamin D, and vitamin A on scopolamine-induced cognitive dysfunction in mice and explores the underlying mechanisms. The incidence of cognitive disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease, is increasing yearly, and current interventions offer limited efficacy. Therefore, this research aims to evaluate the cognitive improvement effects of the three added functional factors on mice with learning and memory impairments, along with the associated molecular mechanisms. Behavioral tests, biochemical assays, and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) were utilized to examine the intervention effects of these functional factors on scopolamine-induced cognitive impairment in mice. The results revealed that the groups treated with sunflower lecithin and vitamin D significantly enhanced the mice’s exploratory behavior, working memory, and spatial memory, with increases of 1.6 times and 4.5 times, respectively, in the open field and novel object recognition tests (VD group). Additionally, these treatments reduced levels of inflammatory markers and IL-6, increased antioxidant GSH levels, and decreased oxidative stress marker MDA levels, with all effects showing significant differences (p < 0.01). The effects were further enhanced when vitamin A was combined with these treatments. Transcriptomic analysis demonstrated that the intervention groups had markedly improved learning and memory abilities through upregulation of key gene expression levels in the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway, cholinergic pathway, and folate biosynthesis pathway. These findings provide a theoretical basis for the development of nutritionally fortified edible oils with added sunflower lecithin, vitamin D, and vitamin A, which may help prevent and ameliorate cognitive disorders.