The dentate gyrus in the hippocampus is considered to be a source of age-related memory decline. Causal evidence is needed, however, to show that dentate gyrus-associated memory decline in otherwise healthy elders can be improved by interventions that enhance dentate gyrus function. The authors of this paper used fMRI to map the precise site of age-related dentate gyrus dysfunction and developed a cognitive task whose function was localized to this anatomical site. Then, in controlled randomized trials, they applied these tools to study healthy 50–69-year-old subjects who consumed either a high or low cocoa flavanol–containing diet for 3 months. A high-flavanol intervention was found to enhance dentate gyrus function, as measured by fMRI and by cognitive testing. The study concluded that dentate gyrus dysfunction is an important driver of age-related cognitive decline and that non-pharmacological strategies may warrant further development.
.
Brickman AM, Khan UA, Provenzano FA, Yeung L-K, Suzuki W, Schroeter H, Wall M, Sloan RP and Small SA: Enhancing dentate gyrus function with dietary flavanols improves cognition in older adults. Nature Neuroscience [Epub ahead of print October 26, 2014; doi:10.1038/nn.3850].
.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25344629

This entry was posted in Uncategorized. Bookmark the permalink.

Comments are closed.