Extra virgin olive oil, often referred to as the “liquid gold” of the Mediterranean diet, contributes to maintaining memory and learning ability while helping reduce brain damage, thereby lowering the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
This unique property of olive oil is highlighted in a scientific study conducted by researchers at Temple University in the United States, published online in the journal Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology.
“We found that olive oil reduces inflammation in the brain and, more importantly, activates a process known as autophagy,” explains Domenico Praticò, Professor of Pharmacology and Microbiology at Temple University and leader of the research team. Autophagy is the process through which cells remove debris and toxins from the brain, including beta-amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, which are believed to play a key role in the development of Alzheimer’s disease.
Brain cells of mice fed a diet rich in extra virgin olive oil showed higher levels of autophagy and lower levels of amyloid plaques and phosphorylated tau protein. According to Praticò, tau protein is responsible for the formation of neurofibrillary tangles, which contribute to nerve cell dysfunction leading to memory loss associated with Alzheimer’s disease. The olive oil was introduced into the animals’ diet at six months of age, before any Alzheimer’s symptoms had appeared.
Previous studies have suggested that the central role of extra virgin olive oil in the Mediterranean diet largely explains why this dietary pattern is associated with a significantly reduced risk of dementia.
The researchers’ next step will be to examine the effects of extra virgin olive oil in mice that already show early biological signs of Alzheimer’s disease. “Typically, when a patient visits a doctor due to suspected dementia, the disease has already begun to develop. We want to determine whether introducing olive oil later in life can slow down or even reverse the progression of the disease,” Praticò notes.
Πηγή: Onmed