Scientists have claimed that the consumption of the dressing defends memory by reducing the formation of toxic plaques and tangles in the brain, hallmarks of Alzheimer's.
They detected
the product, an important component of the cure-all Mediterranean diet,
reduced brain inflammation and activated a process known as autophagy,
where cells flush out damaging debris.
Tests
showed brain cells from mice fed diets enriched with extra-virgin olive
oil had higher levels of autophagy and reduced levels of plaques and
tangles.
Dr Domenico
Pratico, of the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University,
Philadelphia, said: "Taken together, our findings support a beneficial
effect of extra virgin olive oil consumption on all major features of
Alzheimer's.
"The thinking is that extra virgin
olive oil is better than fruits and vegetables alone, and as a
monounsaturated vegetable fat it is healthier than saturated animal
fats."
Researchers divided the rodents into two
groups, one that received a diet enriched with extra-virgin olive oil
and one on a regular diet without it.
Olive oil was introduced into the diet when the mice were six months old, before symptoms of Alzheimer's started to emerge.
In overall appearance, there was no difference between the two groups of animals.
But
at age nine and 12 months mice on the extra virgin olive oil-enriched
diet performed "significantly better" on memory tests. Studies of brain
tissue from both groups revealed dramatic differences in nerve cell
appearance and function.
Dr Pratico said:
"This is an exciting finding for us. This is a very important discovery,
since we suspect a reduction in autophagy marks the beginning of
Alzheimer's.
"Usually when a patient sees a doctor for suspected symptoms of dementia, the disease is already present.
"We want to know whether olive oil added at a later time point in the diet can stop or reverse the disease."Dr Rosa Sancho, of Alzheimer's Research UK, said: CONTINUE READING
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