Although the precise mechanisms by which these plant-derived molecules affect the brain are unknown, they have been shown to cross the blood brain barrier after dietary intake. It is believed that they exert their effects on learning and memory by enhancing existing neuronal (brain cell) connections, improving cellular communications and stimulating neuronal regeneration.

The enhancement of both short-term and long-term memory is controlled at the molecular level in neurons. The research team was able to show that the ability of flavonoids to induce memory improvements are mediated by the activation of signalling proteins via a specific pathway in the hippocampus, the part of the brain that controls learning and memory.

This study again demonstrates that diet-based approaches can be used to enhance memory. Note also that aside from improving memory, the health benefits of blueberries include fighting osteoporosis and cancer, making it truly a super-fruit!

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Blueberries Improve Your Memory

The Science Daily article points to recent studies explaining how DHA may reduce risks of Alzheimer’s disease.

Image Credit: sofijab

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How Fish Oils (DHA) Fight Alzheimer’s Disease

The study found people who regularly consumed omega-3 rich oils, such as canola oil, flaxseed oil and walnut oil, reduced their risk of dementia by 60 percent compared to people who did not regularly consume such oils. People who ate fruits and vegetables daily also reduced their risk of dementia by 30 percent compared to those who didn’t regularly eat fruits and vegetables.

The study also found people who ate fish at least once a week had a 35-percent lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease and 40-percent lower risk of dementia, but only if they did not carry the gene that increases the risk of Alzheimer’s, called apolipoprotein E4, or ApoE4.

In contrast, consuming omega-6 rich oils could increase chances of developing memory problems. Although the effects of dietary habits on memory and Alzheimer risks are clear, it is not yet known precisely how these compounds exert their effects.

Source: AAN
Related Entries:
Omega-3 Fatty Acid (DHA) May DElay Onset of Alzheimer’s Disease
Omega-3 Supplements Against Alzheimer’s Symptoms

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Fish, Omega-3 Oils, Fruits and Veggies Lowers Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia

In animal models, the scientific group, led by Drs. Takumi Satoh (Iwate University, Japan) and Stuart Lipton (Burnham Institute), found that CA becomes activated by the free radical damage itself, remaining innocuous unless needed, exactly what is wanted in a drug. The scientists call this type of action a “pathological-activated therapeutic” or PAT drug. A “pat” represents a gentle tap and not the heavy sledge hammer that some drugs produce, including significant side effects in areas of the body where their effects are not needed and not wanted.

Having identified the active ingredient in rosemary that brings about the neuro-protective effect, the researchers are exploring drugs based carnosic acid and related compounds.

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Rosemary is Good for the Brain

“We’ve shown in some previous animal work that these supplements could improve memory and energy level,” Hagen said. “Now we’re seeing that animals receiving supplements are much more readily able to learn new things as well, even at an advanced age.”

In these tests, the effects of supplementation with these compounds appeared to work fairly quickly, in a matter of days or weeks, the scientists said. Some other studies, however, have required much longer periods of supplementation for various antioxidants to improve cognitive performance.

The scientists speculate that long-term supplementation “may be effective in attenuating age-associated cognitive decline by slowing the rate of mitochondrial decay and cellular aging.” The next challenge, of course, is to see whether these compounds have the same impact on humans.

If you want further reading, the study has been published in the FASEB Journal.

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Dietary Supplements Combat Aging-Related Mental Decline

Because caffeine is an antioxidant, it has also been demonstrated many times how coffee can help prevent cognitive decline, first in men, but now also in women.

“The more coffee one drank, the better the effects seemed to be on (women’s) memory functioning in particular,” said Karen Ritchie at the French National Institute of Medical Research, whose work appears in the journal Neurology.

They found that women who drank more than three cups of coffee per day, or its caffeine equivalent in tea, retained more of their verbal and — to a lesser extent — visual memories over four years.

Read more from Reuters.

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Coffee May Slow Memory Decline in Women

When studying their brains, van Praag and her colleagues found that these mice had greater blood vessel growth in the dentate gyrus and had developed more mature nerve cells, suggesting an enhanced ability of the cells to communicate. Further analysis showed that the epicatechin and exercise combination had a beneficial effect on the expression of genes important for learning and memory, and decreased the activity of genes playing a role in inflammation and neurodegeneration.

Aside from these effects, epicatechin has also been shown previously to improve cardiovascular function and increase blood flow in the brain.

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Epicatechin May Help Protect Against Cognitive Decline

A survey of 670 men born between 1900 and 1920 from Finland, Italy and the Netherlands were observed for a period of 10 years. Coffee consumption were recorded and at the same time, cognitive performance was assessed using the “Mini-Mental State Examination”. The results:

Although the men who consumed coffee also showed cognitive decline (of course, who wouldn’t at that age?), non-consumers had an additional decline of 1.4 points. Also, it appeared that the more coffee one consumed, the better, with the least cognitive decline for three cups of coffee per day. This decline was 4.3 times smaller than the decline of non-consumers.

Now there are two things I’m wondering:

Is there any reason the same shouldn’t apply to women? (Let’s not start a gender war on men and women’s brain functions, please! If, then at least, let’s keep it scientific, ok?)

Would/could coffee consumption impart the same benefit to younger populations whose cognitive decline may not be as fast? (Is it obvious I want to justify the half-liter of coffee I guzzle daily ? )

While you contemplate, hear some tracks from Peggy Lee’s Black Coffee.

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Coffee Reduces Cognitive Decline in Aging Men