Brain Food
According to Professor Fernando Gomez-Pinilla from the University of California (Los Angeles), who has spent more than one year studying the effects of food, exercise and sleep on the state of the brain, the components of food affect the brain like pharmacological drugs. Diet, exercise and sleep can change the state of our brain and mental functions. This statement points to an inspiring perspective: the ability to improve cognitive abilities, protect the brain from damage and slow down the aging process through changes in the principles of nutrition.
Gomez-Pinilla analyzed the results of more than 160 papers devoted to the study of the effect of food on the brain. The conclusions he made as a result of this analysis are contained in the article by Gómez-Pinilla et al. "Brain foods: the effects of nutrients on brain function", published in Nature Reviews Neuroscience.
Firstly, omega-3 fatty acids have many beneficial effects. Their main source is fatty fish varieties and some vegetable oils, especially linseed. They improve memory for past events and the ability to memorize new information, and also contribute to the fight against such disorders of higher nervous activity as depression, mood swings, schizophrenia and dementia.
Omega-3 fatty acids support the plasticity of synapses – structures that provide contact between neurons and perform basic functions of nervous tissue – and positively affect the expression in synapses of several molecules associated with the ability to memorize and memory.
Deficiency of omega-3 fatty acids in the human diet is associated with an increased risk of developing a number of mental disorders, including attention deficit, dyslexia (inability to read), dementia, depression, bipolar disorder (manic-depressive psychosis) and schizophrenia. In rodents, the lack of omega-3 fatty acids causes violations of long-term and short-term memory.
Children with elevated levels of omega-3 fatty acids in the body have better results at school in general, including in reading and spelling, as well as fewer behavior problems.
According to preliminary results of a study conducted in the UK, the intake of omega-3 fatty acids improved the learning performance of a group of students. Australian scientists gave 396 children aged 6-12 years a drink containing omega-3 fatty acids and other micronutrients (iron, zinc, folic acid, vitamins A, B6, B12 and C), which increased their scores when performing tests conducted 6 and 12 months after the start of the experiment to determine verbal mental abilities, memorization and memory abilities compared to the control group. A similar study involving 394 children was conducted in Indonesia, however, unlike the Australian work, in Indonesia, drinking the drink had a positive effect exclusively on girls.
The authors believe that the omega-3 fatty acids contained in natural products are more beneficial for the body than dietary supplements. They are currently figuring out which omega-3 fatty acids are the most beneficial. One of them is docosahexaenoic acid, which is contained in large quantities in salmon, suppresses oxidative stress and enhances synaptic plasticity, memory ability and memory. Docosahexaenoic acid is the predominant omega-3 fatty acid of brain cell membranes. Gomez-Pinilla emphasizes that this compound is not synthesized in the human body and must come with food.
According to a recent study, health conditions can be inherited, and a number of groundbreaking studies indicate that the impact of diet on mental health can also be passed down from generation to generation.
The results of a study of 100-year-old birth records, deaths, health status and genealogical information about 300 Swedish families living in an isolated village indicate that the risk of premature death or diabetes increases if the parents of the individual's father grew up in an abundance of food.
This fact indicates that the nature of a person's diet can affect the state of the molecules and synapses of his grandchildren. Currently, researchers are working to clarify the molecular mechanisms that explain this pattern. (Somehow it smacks of Lamarckism… Another, in our opinion, simpler explanation is also possible: family habits, including dietary preferences, are transmitted through "non–genetic" heredity, due to upbringing and imitation of parents - VM.)
Excess calories can reduce the plasticity of synapses and increase the susceptibility of cells to damage as a result of excessive formation of free radicals. Moderate calorie restriction of the diet can protect the brain by preventing oxidative damage to proteins, lipids and nucleic acids of brain cells. Bioflavonoids (vitamin P) have a pronounced antioxidant activity, the record holder for the content of which is blueberries.
In contrast to the positive effects of a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids, a diet containing a large amount of saturated fats and polyunsaturated trans-fatty acids (hydrogenated vegetable oils, from which margarine, spreads and other substitutes for natural fats are made), negatively affects cognitive ability. The so-called "fast food" has a bad effect on brain synapses.
According to Gomez-Pinilla, a balanced diet, in combination with physical activity and a good night's sleep, strengthens synapses and has other positive effects on cognitive function.
Residents of the Japanese island of Okinawa, who often eat fish and pay a lot of attention to physical activity, are one of the longest-lived populations in the world with a very low incidence of mental disorders.
Vitamin B9 (folic acid) is also necessary for the normal functioning of the brain. Its main sources in food are leafy greens, legumes, bread made from coarse flour, yeast, liver. The lack of folic acid is fraught with various neurological disorders, including depression and impaired cognitive function. Regular intake of folic acid supplements, both separately and in combination with other B vitamins, prevents the development of senile dementia and cognitive function disorders.
In patients with deep depression and schizophrenia, there is a decrease in the level of brain neurotrophic factor, which is contained in the largest amounts in the hippocampus and hypothalamus – areas of the brain associated with the regulation of cognitive functions and the endocrine system.
Antidepressants used to treat such diseases increase the level of this signaling molecule. However, in such cases, antioxidants may be useful, for example, curcumin, which improves memory in mouse models of Alzheimer's disease and brain injuries.
The consumption of large amounts of turmeric by the population of India may be one of the reasons for the low incidence of Alzheimer's disease in this subcontinent.
There is also evidence that the level of neurotrophic factor of the brain can be increased with the help of physical exercise.
According to Gomez-Pinilla, it is also important to remember that while some people have very good genes, most of us are not so lucky and need a balanced diet, regular exercise and a good night's sleep to maintain good physical and mental fitness.
Evgeniya Ryabtseva
Portal "Eternal youth" www.vechnayamolodost.ru based on the materials of ScienceDaily
15.07.2008