Bioactive ingredient found in cocoa (cocoa tree) can recover well from memory loss associated with age, say scientists.
The compound, called flavanols, have been used for special chocolate drink, said the research published by the journal Nature Neuroscience, told the Daily News on Monday (10/27/2014).
For three months, 37 healthy volunteers aged 50-69 every day consume beverages containing high doses of flavanol (900 mg) or a low dose, 10 milligrams.
The scientists conducted brain imaging, measuring the volume of blood in an important part of the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus called, a region of memory formation whose performance usually declines associated with age.
They do a memory test before and after participants consumed the drink.
The test requires 20 minutes of pattern recognition exercises designed to assess the type of memory that is controlled by the dentate gyrus.
High-flavanol group forming the main memory improvement and increased blood flow to the dentate gyrus.
"If a participant has a typical memory of 60 years of age at baseline, after three months the average person has a typical memory of 30 or 40 years of age," said Scott Small, associate professor of neurology at Columbia University Medical Center in New York.
But more research large-group-also needed to verify these preliminary findings, said he warned.
Flavanol today has become a major concern. The researchers had great expectations of the material to overcome the memory loss associated with age-which is growing rapidly, the world's population without the use of drugs.
The compounds of various types of flavanols, the numbers vary widely, also found in grapes, blueberries, and other fruits, as well as in some vegetables and tea.
In previous studies in mice, suggesting that the type of cocoa flavanols found in the dentate gyrus improve performance.
"Dentate gyrus in humans and mice are very similar," said Small AFP.
"Our study shows, for the first time, improve the function of the dentate gyrus of flavanols in humans, especially during human aging."
age-related decline
Loss of memory-eg like forgetting the name of a new acquaintance or misplaced kacamata- normally occurs when people reach their fifties or sixties.
Memory loss is not applicable to disturbances caused memory loss of Alzheimer's disease.
The companies in the United States began marketing the drink cocoa, which also supported the research.
The company uses a proprietary process to extract flavanols from cocoa beans. Under conventional treatment, most of the flavanols that of the raw fruit is lost.
Small said it was too early recommended dietary flavanols, but "I certainly would not advise people to eat more chocolate."
"That can lead to mistakes," he said.
"The problem is this, the amount of flavanols present in cocoa snack is very small compared to the very high amount of flavanols extracted. The same goes for most other food or in tea, "said Small.
"Hopefully, in the future sources of food or a particular diet can be identified to get a very high amount of certain flavanols we studied," he said.
The compound, called flavanols, have been used for special chocolate drink, said the research published by the journal Nature Neuroscience, told the Daily News on Monday (10/27/2014).
For three months, 37 healthy volunteers aged 50-69 every day consume beverages containing high doses of flavanol (900 mg) or a low dose, 10 milligrams.
The scientists conducted brain imaging, measuring the volume of blood in an important part of the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus called, a region of memory formation whose performance usually declines associated with age.
They do a memory test before and after participants consumed the drink.
The test requires 20 minutes of pattern recognition exercises designed to assess the type of memory that is controlled by the dentate gyrus.
High-flavanol group forming the main memory improvement and increased blood flow to the dentate gyrus.
"If a participant has a typical memory of 60 years of age at baseline, after three months the average person has a typical memory of 30 or 40 years of age," said Scott Small, associate professor of neurology at Columbia University Medical Center in New York.
But more research large-group-also needed to verify these preliminary findings, said he warned.
Flavanol today has become a major concern. The researchers had great expectations of the material to overcome the memory loss associated with age-which is growing rapidly, the world's population without the use of drugs.
The compounds of various types of flavanols, the numbers vary widely, also found in grapes, blueberries, and other fruits, as well as in some vegetables and tea.
In previous studies in mice, suggesting that the type of cocoa flavanols found in the dentate gyrus improve performance.
"Dentate gyrus in humans and mice are very similar," said Small AFP.
"Our study shows, for the first time, improve the function of the dentate gyrus of flavanols in humans, especially during human aging."
age-related decline
Loss of memory-eg like forgetting the name of a new acquaintance or misplaced kacamata- normally occurs when people reach their fifties or sixties.
Memory loss is not applicable to disturbances caused memory loss of Alzheimer's disease.
The companies in the United States began marketing the drink cocoa, which also supported the research.
The company uses a proprietary process to extract flavanols from cocoa beans. Under conventional treatment, most of the flavanols that of the raw fruit is lost.
Small said it was too early recommended dietary flavanols, but "I certainly would not advise people to eat more chocolate."
"That can lead to mistakes," he said.
"The problem is this, the amount of flavanols present in cocoa snack is very small compared to the very high amount of flavanols extracted. The same goes for most other food or in tea, "said Small.
"Hopefully, in the future sources of food or a particular diet can be identified to get a very high amount of certain flavanols we studied," he said.
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