Olive oil and dementia

Olive Oil and Dementia

Researchers warn that by 2050, more than 153 million people worldwide could suffer from dementia, almost tripling the number in 2019 in the Mediterranean region. Observational and controlled studies have shown that adherence to the Mediterranean diet and consumption of extra virgin olive oil are associated with improved memory and cognition in older people.
Extra virgin olive oil may have beneficial effects on people with mild cognitive impairment, according to a recent study by Amal Kaddoumi of the Harrison Auburn University School of Pharmacy. Their findings, recently published in the journal Nutrients, suggest that compounds found in olive oil influence brain health and improve the blood-brain barrier.

Interestingly, the MRI results were not the same between EVOO and ROO. While EVOO improved blood-brain barrier function and functional connectivity between different brain areas, ROO increased functional brain activation to a memory task in brain regions involved in cognition. The blood-brain barrier and its permeability are key indicators in their study.

The results are consistent with Kaddoumi’s preclinical findings in mouse models of Alzheimer’s disease. The pilot study in people with mild cognitive impairment is the first to examine what happens directly in people’s brains when they consume olive oil.

A surprising finding of the study was the results of the control group. The beneficial compounds found in olive oil are more prevalent in unrefined EVOO, but those in the refined group also saw improvements.

A new study was presented in 2023 at the American Society for Nutrition’s annual meeting, highlighting the benefits of olive oil for brain health. After analyzing dietary questionnaires and death certificates from more than 90,000 Americans over three decades, researchers suggested consuming more than half a tablespoon of olive oil per day was associated with a 28% lower risk of dementia, compared with little or no consumption.

Alzheimer’s Disease
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia. It begins when deposits of beta-amyloid proteins form a plaque in the brain, eventually disrupting nerve cell function and leading to neuron death.

Laboratory and animal studies have shown that oleocanthal promotes the production of two other proteins that play an important role in preventing plaque formation in the brain. Research also showed that oleocanthal modulates the complement peptide C3a receptor 1 (C3AR1).

Remember that C3AR1 overfunctions in Alzheimer’s patients, causing inflammation that impairs the function of the innate immune system. Oleocanthal’s anti-inflammatory properties prevent C3AR1 overload and reduce inflammation associated with Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases.

Parkinson’s Disease

For example, a 2021 study found that following the Mediterranean diet can delay the onset of Parkinson’s disease by up to 17 years in women and eight years in men. Remember that Parkinson’s disease is a degenerative disease of the central nervous system for which there is no cure. Researchers have found that polyphenols in extra virgin olive oil protect against disease by reducing oxidative stress in the brain.