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Scientists have identified two compounds found in green tea and carrots that can help delay the effects of Alzheimer's disease in mice. The team believes that these components can also have the same effects on humans. ( Ascyrafft Adnan | pixabay )
A new study indicates that a compound present in green tea could combat the degenerative effects of Alzheimer's disease and dementia.
Researchers at the University of Southern California (USC) have identified compounds that can suppress the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease in mice. These components were mainly found in green tea and carrots.
The team believes that integrating aromatic and root vegetables into diets can help protect people from these degenerative diseases.
For people with Alzheimer's disease, regular intake of the compounds in addition to their treatment is a healthy option for treating the disease.
"It's not necessary to wait 10 to 12 years for a designer drug to come on the market, you can make these dietary changes today," said Terrence Town, Professor at the Zilkha Institute of Neurogenetics of the USC and lead author of the study. "I find that very encouraging."
Anti-Alzheimer's disease compounds
Town and his colleagues focused their efforts on two compounds: epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) and ferulic acid (FA). The EGCG is found mainly in green tea, while AF is found in carrots.
They then selected 32 mice raised to manifest the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease and then separated the animas into four groups. One group received a diet rich in EGCG, one group a FA diet, one group a combination of EGCG and FA and another a placebo.
After three months of this diet, mice underwent neuropsychological tests to check for signs of dementia.
The researchers found that EGCG-FA combination therapy restored working memory in Alzheimer's mice. They found that these animals were as good as healthy mice.
The team believes that the reversal of Alzheimer's effects stems from the ability of EGCG and FA to prevent amyloid precursor proteins from turning into smaller proteins called beta-amyloid. Studies have shown that beta-amyloid prevents proper brain function in patients with Alzheimer's disease.
EGCG and FA treatments also helped reduce oxidative stress and neuroinflammation in Alzheimer's mice. These two conditions can be found in the brain of the man suffering from the disease.
Other studies on Alzheimer's disease
Earlier this year, scientists discovered that a pathogen linked to gum disease could potentially cause the development of Alzheimer's disease. People with Alzheimer's have traces of Porphyromonas gingivalis bacteria in their brains.
A new study also suggests that Alzheimer's disease can also be detected early in humans by means of a simple blood test.
By identifying the presence of the protein neurofilament in patients' blood, the researchers indicated that they could determine if the individual would develop the degenerative disease.
However, they specified that it was not the absolute concentration of neurofilament that mattered, but rather the temporal evolution of the protein that could help them determine the future course of the disease. ; Alzheimer's.
The team said the key lies in the changes in the concentration of neurofilaments in the blood of patients that accurately reflect the degradation of brain cells.
Previous research has shown that older people who still maintain an active lifestyle were less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease compared to those who were less active. Those with higher daily movements had better results in terms of thinking and memory in cognitive tests.
The USC study is included in the latest edition of Journal of biological chemistry.
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