Scientists from the China Agricultural University found that a diet rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) can protect the brain from the effects of aging. The research was published in the journal engineering.
The authors examined high-quality published data on the effects of PUFAs and their constituents on the health of the aging brain in humans and animals.
The results of the review showed that dietary supplementation with PUFAs may reduce cognitive decline due to aging. Studies have shown that these substances can improve synaptic plasticity, that is, the ability of nerve cells to change the contact parameters between them. This process plays a central role in human learning and worsens with age.
The authors particularly drew attention to the phospholipid plasmalogen, a nutrient found in the membrane (sheath) of nerve cells. There is a chance of turning into a medicine, but for this it is necessary to solve the problem of the instability of its structure. Also effective are phosphatidylcholine (found in egg yolks and soybeans) and phosphatidylserine (found in meat, fish, white beans and soy lecithin), which, like plasmalogen, are part of cell walls.
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