Older news items (pre-2010) brought over from the old website
Too much licorice in pregnancy may affect child's IQ and behavior
A Finnish study involving 321 eight year old children has found that those whose mothers ate more than 500mg of glycyrrhizin per week (found in the equivalent of 100g of pure licorice) had significant decrements in verbal and visuospatial abilities and in narrative memory, compared to those whose mothers consumed less licorice. They were also more likely to have poor attention spans and show disruptive behaviour such as ADHD. The effects on cognitive performance appeared dose related (that is, higher consumption correlated with greater impairment). Glycyrrhizin may impair the placenta, allowing stress hormones to cross from the mother to the baby. These hormones (glucocorticoids) are thought to affect fetal brain development and have been linked to behavioural disorders in children. Consumption of licorice among young women is common in Finland.
[1467] Raikkonen, K., Pesonen A-K., Heinonen K., Lahti J., Komsi N., Eriksson J. G., et al.
(2009). Maternal Licorice Consumption and Detrimental Cognitive and Psychiatric Outcomes in Children.
Am. J. Epidemiol.. 170(9), 1137 - 1146.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-10/uoe-eli100609.php
How food affects the brain
I’ve reported on quite a lot of studies finding beneficial effects of one food or another on the brain. Now a researcher has analyzed more than 160 studies about food's effect on the brain, and here’s the bottom line. He comes out for omega-3 fatty acids, as both improving synaptic plasticity and the expression of several molecules proteins to learning and memory, as well as protecting against attention-deficit disorder, dyslexia, dementia, depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. He suggests it’s better to get it from food than supplements (which is always recommended). Salmon, walnuts and kiwi fruit are all good sources. They’re still working out which fatty acids are most important, but one is definitely docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA — which like vitamin C we’re not good at making for ourselves; we have to ingest it. He also concludes that diets high in trans fats and saturated fats are bad for cognition.
Studies also support the need for folic acid (found in spinach, orange juice and yeast), which is essential for brain function, and appears to reduce age-related cognitive decline and dementia. And BDNF, important for learning and memory as well as metabolic regulation (so there’s a connection there with obesity), is helped by omega-3 fatty acids and the curry spice curcumin, and also, it seems, smaller food portions.
[1293] Gómez-Pinilla, F.
(2008). Brain foods: the effects of nutrients on brain function.
Nat Rev Neurosci. 9(7), 568 - 578.
Full text is available online at www.nature.com/nrn/journal/v9/n7/abs/nrn2421.html
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-07/uoc--slh070908.php
Curry helps older brains
Turmeric, an ingredient of curry, contains curcumin, which is a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory that may inhibit the build-up of amyloid plaques in people with Alzheimer's. Now an investigation of 1010 older Asians (between 60 and 93 years) has found that those who ate curry "occasionally" (once or more in 6 months but less than once a month) and "often" (more than once a month) performed better on a standard test of cognitive function than those who only ate curry "never or rarely".
[1378] Ng, T-P., Chiam P-C., Lee T., Chua H-C., Lim L., & Kua E-H.
(2006). Curry Consumption and Cognitive Function in the Elderly.
Am. J. Epidemiol.. 164(9), 898 - 906.
http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg19125635.500?DCMP=NLC-nletter&nsref=mg19125635.500
Sage improves memory
Sage has long had a reputation for improving memory and concentration. Now, clinical trials with healthy, young adults (aged between 18 and 37) have found that those who had taken sage oil capsules performed significantly better in a word recall test. Sage is being investigated as a potential treatment for Alzheimer's Disease after earlier research found that it inhibits an enzyme called acetylcholinesterase (AChE) which breaks down the chemical messenger acetylcholine (reduced in those with Alzheimers').
Tildesley, N.T.J., Kennedy, D.O., Perry, E.K., Ballard, C.G., Savelev, S., Wesnes, K.A. & Scholey, A.B. 2003. Salvia lavandulaefolia (Spanish Sage) enhances memory in healthy young volunteers. Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior, 75 (3), 669-674.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2003-08/uonu-sim082703.php
Helping memory with "natural" supplements
Do caffeine and glucose help concentration? A recent study found that volunteers who drank a mixture containing caffeine and glucose (as well as trace levels of guarana, ginkgo and ginseng) showed clear improvements in memory and attention. Those who consumed the individual ingredients, or a placebo, did not show such improvements.
Another study by the same researchers found that high doses of lemon balm improved memory and led to greater feelings of calmness in 20 volunteers. The lemon balm was found to increase the activity of acetylcholine – an important chemical messenger which is reduced in people with Alzheimer’s disease.
Scholey, A. & Kennedy, D. 2003. Report at the British Psychological Society Annual Conference in Bournemouth 13-15 March.
Sunflower seeds helpful in reducing hypertension and associated cognitive impairment
Research in rats has found that linoleic acid improved not only blood pressure, but also hypertension-induced memory decline, suggesting that the early incorporation of linoleic acid in the diet, may not only help in controlling hypertension, but may also improve hypertension-induced cognitive impairment. Linoleic acid is found in vegetable seed oils, such as safflower, sunflower, and hemp seed.
Holloway, V. 2002. Effects of early nutritional supplementation of linoleic acid in Hypertension. Paper presented at an American Physiological Society (APS) conference, "The Power of Comparative Physiology: Evolution, Integration and Application", August 24-28 in San Diego, CA.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2002-08/aps-mk082602.php