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The Mediterranean diet, rich in plant-based foods, is associated with a variety of health benefits, including a lower incidence of dementia. Now, researchers at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University (LKSOM) have identified a specific ingredient that protects against cognitive decline: extra-virgin olive oil, a major component of the Mediterranean diet. In a study published online June 21 in the Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology, the researchers show that the consumption of extra-virgin olive oil protects memory and learning ability and reduces the formation of amyloid-beta plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain — classic markers of Alzheimer’s disease.
The Temple team also identified the mechanisms underlying the protective effects of extra-virgin olive oil. “We found that olive oil reduces brain inflammation but most importantly activates a process known as autophagy,” explained senior investigator Domenico Praticò, MD, Professor in the Departments of Pharmacology and Microbiology and the Center for Translational Medicine at LKSOM. Autophagy is the process by which cells break down and clear out intracellular debris […]
That’s great for mice, but I’ll wait for the study in humans. The jury is not out about the effect of oil on the endothelial cells within our arteries and veins. *All free oils* plug ’em up, preventing the release of nitric oxide whose only purpose is to speed blood flow. Heart + stroke still the #1 killer of men and women in North America.
I thought I saw something about a big study on Alzheimers where researchers came to the conclusion that best way to slow it down was a great diet, exercise, supplements, and brain exercise. Anybody have access to that study??