Memory in the elderly can be improved with grape seed extract
Added 04.08.2008
Grape seed extract contains over 300 different natural substances that have a host of health promoting properties including: reducing the influence of asthma provocative factors; normalising immune response to allergens in hay fever; preventing the oxidation of LDL (unhealthy) cholesterol; reducing the risk of heart disease; has highly potent cancer preventative agents; and has several anti-inflammatory properties.
A study from the Centre for Neuropsychology at Swinburne University in Melbourne, Australia, has now found evidence that grape seed extract has a positive effect on mental (cognitive) function and processes and can improve memory in the elderly.
The study
The study examined a range of mental processes and abilities as well as aging markers and the loss of brain and spinal cord nerve cells (neurological degeneration) in 101 seniors aged between 60 and 80 years. The participants were divided into two groups of similar age, sex, body mass index, vitamin and mineral (micronutrient) intake and intelligence.In this double-blind study, the participants of one group were given a daily dose of 150 mg of grape seed extract for a period of three months while the second group received a placebo. The participants were assessed at the start of the study and then at one, two and three months with assessments involving mental ability tasks that measured attention, short-term memory (working memory), long-term memory (episodic memory) and the coordination of mental processes with physical activities (psycho-motor performance).
The results
At the end of three months, the group receiving grape seed extract supplements had significantly improved memory, especially in the memory responsible for recording information about one's environment (spatial memory) and in numeric ability tasks compared to the placebo group.The researchers conclude, that "these results support research from a range of disciplines that suggest that antioxidants may have an effect in preserving or enhancing specific mental functions." The findings from the study could also suggest that grape seed extract may help in preventing neurodegenerative (loss of brain and spinal cord cells) diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, however, further research is needed in this topic.
