The herb sage enhances memory and mental function. It also has neuroprotective properties. Although not a cure, it could be a therapeutic treatment for Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of neurodegenerative disease.

Those with Alzheimer’s disease usually experience a drop in acetylcholine. Sage inhibits an enzyme called acetylcholinesterase (AChE), which breaks down the acetylcholine in our brains.

Many of the current drugs have unpleasant side effects and are rarely effective. Targeted nutrition typically has superior impact on symptoms with no side effects. Further investigation is needed to find out why sage is so effective but researchers think it’s a combination of chemicals in the oil, which have an effect on AChE. The oils also have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

“This underscores the value of the work by the old herbalists. They shouldn’t be ignored because they were writing centuries ago,” said lead researcher Nicola Tildesley.

“This research has serious implications for people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. It will inform drug research and development.”

The research was funded by Oxford Natural Products. The MPRC is carrying out another clinical trial where sage is being tested on people with Alzheimer’s disease. Further investigation is needed to find out why sage is so effective but researchers think it could be a combination of chemicals in the oil which have an effect on AChE and which give it antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which are targets of Alzheimer’s disease treatment.

Several essential oils, including Lemon Citrus limonum, Rosemary Rosmarinus officialis and Spanish Sage (Salvia lavandulifolia)have been shown to act in a similar way to conventional drugs, inhibiting cholinesterase without any negative side effects. It has also been shown that using these essential oils in their natural state vs. isolating chemical constituents has a greater effect on preventing the breakdown of acetylcholine.

Salvia plants are traditionally noted for their antioxidant effects and ability to enhance head and brain function, improve memory, quicken the senses, and delay age-associated cognitive decline. Several studies have confirmed the many salvia species have promising, cognitive-enhancing effects. Rosemary also is known for improving memory.

Further research is required to examine the longer-term cognitive-enhancing effects of salvia species on cognition, memory and the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease.

While many people are searching for the best essential oils for Alzheimer’s disease, many sellers are claiming they offer the best essential oils for Alzheimer’s disease, no one can say what essential oils will work best with your body chemistry, but there is an increasing awareness of the influence of different hormones and neurotransmitters on cognitive activity. Essential oils can help stimulate these natural systems. Sage (salvia) is one of the most promising forms. Salvia plants and their compounds can influence several biological mechanisms associated with cognition, including their effects on amyloid-β, cholinergic activity, neurons, oxidation, inflammation and mood swings. 

Salvia plants are a rich source of polyphenol compounds with over 160 identified polyphenols, comprising an array of phenolic acids and flavonoids. These phenolic compounds include caffeic acid and its derivatives, rosmarinic acid, salvianolic acids, sagecoumarin, lithospermic acids, sagernic acid, and yunnaneic acids. The most prevalent flavonoids include luteolin, apigenin, hispidulin, kaempferol and quercetin. Plants of the genus Salvia also are rich in essential oils.

The accumulation of the amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) is a characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease and its deposition is considered partially responsible for the cognitive dysfunction seen in Alzheimer’s disease.

It is theorized that aggregated Aβ is accountable for the progressive nature of the disease, as the unregulated build-up of aggregates are neurotoxic, causing dysfunction to cholinergic neurons and calcium homeostasis, and promoting the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and pro-inflammatory responses.

Salvia miltiorrhiza has been shown to protect mice from Aβ-induced neurotoxicity by inhibiting increases in tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity. Tanshinones from S. miltiorrhiza can also protect against Aβ-induced toxicity by ameliorating mRNA expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), matrix metalloproteinase 2 and nuclear transcription factor-κ.

Animal studies have demonstrated that supplementation with S. sahendica attenuated memory deficits, modulated cAMP response element binding protein and its down-stream molecules and decreased apoptosis in Aβ-injected rats. In mice exposed to an acute injection of Aβ, rosmarinic acid also prevented Aβ-induced nitration of proteins in the hippocampus. Rosmarinic acid also prevented memory impairments induced by Aβ toxicity.

Protective effects from Aβ toxicity have also been observed following the administration of the Salvia constituents, salvianolic acid, carnosic acid and quercetin.

Genus salvia, commonly known as sage, is the largest genus in the Lamiaceae family. It comprises many species traditionally used as brain-enhancing tonics. In vitro and animal studies have confirmed that several Salvia species contain a large array of active compounds that may enhance cognitive activity and protect against neurodegenerative disease. Their potential effects in dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, are still unfolding.

Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease are known in the medical world as transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (prion disease).

Prion disease is now the fastest-growing cause of death in the world. The truth is more elusive than a cure. Many factors are contributing to the surge, including misinformation, disinformation and reckless public policies.

The medical term for prion disease is transmissible spongiform encephalopathy, which includes ALS, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, mad cow disease, chronic wasting disease.

The major difference between these forms of neurodegenerative disease is the species under attack and the region of the brain that is under attack. The primary difference between Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease, for example, is the region of the brain that is under attack by the pathological protein.

There are proven strategies to help avert neurodegenerative disease, including nutrition, exercise and prion aversion. There is not a cure for prion disease. Preview and order the eBook now to defend yourself and your family.

The post Sage Treats Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s Disease appeared first on Neuroscience News.

As we age, cognitive decline is common, there is much that we can do to boost brainpower, while promoting overall health.

Neuroplasticity means the brain can grow, rewire, adapt and strengthen when properly stimulated. Recent studies suggest physical and mental exercise, a healthy diet and other common lifestyle changes can improve brain function, delay dementia symptoms and even lower the risk for Alzheimer’s disease.

“Even though we cannot predict exactly who will get Alzheimer’s disease and when, we do know that people who practice Alzheimer’s prevention strategies improve their quality of life and reap immediate benefits in memory and health,” says Dr. Gary Small, director of UCLA’s Longevity Center and co-author of The Alzheimer’s Prevention Program: Keep Your Brain Healthy for the Rest of Your Life.

Here are some smart ways to boost your brain, while building total body health:

Lose Weight and Lower Your Blood Pressure

Carrying around a lot of belly fat is often a sign of increased cell inflammation throughout the body, including the brain. In one study, men who had the most abdominal fat in their 40s were the most likely to develop dementia later on. Just another reason to improve your diet and lace up your walking shoes. A healthy brain needs a good supply of oxygen and glucose to operate. Optimal blood flow is essential.

Have it checked every year. If it’s high — that is, above 120/80 mmHg — work with your doctor to get it down. High systolic blood pressure limits blood and nutrients to the brain, making it more likely that you will lose gray matter in critical areas as you age.

Consume Salmon

Studies have shown that eating foods like salmon, tuna and other oily fish — along with flaxseed and walnuts — that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids is a good bet for all-around brain and heart health. Omega-3 fatty acids contain DHA and EPA, which are highly concentrated in the brain and crucial for optimal brain function, according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

These fatty acids are important to consume, because our neurons use them to build brain cell walls and maintain good brain health. In studies, people with low blood levels of omega-3s had lower brain volume than people with higher levels, suggesting their brains were aging more rapidly. One study at Tufts University found that people who ate oily fish three times a week reduced their risk of Alzheimer’s disease by nearly 40 percent.

Eat Leafy Green Vegetables

The ideal side dish to your salmon entrée is a leafy green vegetable like spinach, kale, Swiss chard or collards. All have been linked to slowing cognitive decline, thanks to their high concentration of vitamin K. According to a new study from Rush University Medical Center, people who ate one to two servings of leafy greens each day had the cognitive ability of a person 11 years younger than those who consumed none.

Eat Blueberries

And eat a bucketful. Inside each berry is a special antioxidant called anthocyanin, which can cross the blood-brain barrier and protect brain cells from oxidation damage. A Harvard Nurses’ Health Study of 16,000 women older than 70 found that women who consumed two or more half-cup servings of blueberries or strawberries per week remained mentally sharper than those who didn’t eat berries.

Brain Stimulation

Word-recall tasks and other brain challenges like Sudoku and crossword puzzles might decrease your risk of dementia, according to a recent study at the University of California, Berkeley. The scientists believe brain challenges prevent the buildup of beta-amyloid in the brain, the protein that accumulates in the brain of Alzheimer disease patients.

Olive Oil

A study from Spain showed that men who ate about four tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil a day showed better language comprehension, attention and abstract thinking than those on a low-fat diet. Its antioxidants may reduce brain inflammation.

Social Interaction

In an eight-year study reported in The Lancet Neurology, researchers gave cognitive-performance tests to 89 elderly people and then compared the results of testing with autopsy findings some years later. They found that the larger a person’s social network, the smaller an effect the neurological tangles and plaques associated with Alzheimer’s disease had on cognitive ability. Researchers say the protective effects of having many friends were more evident for the parts of the brain where we store general knowledge, language and factual information.

The medical term for prion disease is transmissible spongiform encephalopathy, which includes ALS, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, mad cow disease, chronic wasting disease.

There are proven strategies to help avert neurodegenerative disease, including nutrition, exercise and prion aversion. There is not a cure for prion disease. Preview and order the eBook now to defend yourself and your family.

The post Treat Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s With Brain Food appeared first on Neuroscience News.

Men and women who take drugs to keep high blood pressure in check may be somewhat protected against Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia, a new study found. And those who took a type of blood pressure drug called a beta blocker may be particularly protected from dementia.

The report found that treatment for high blood pressure was good for the brain, regardless of the type of blood pressure medication taken. Beta blockers seemed to be the most effective.

Examples of beta blockers, which slow the heart beat, include acebutolol (Sectral), atenolol (Tenormin), bisoprolol (Zebeta), metoprolol, nadolol (Corgard), nebivolol (Bystolic) and propranolol (Inderal LA). Over time, high blood pressure has corrosive effects on blood vessels throughout the body, including the brain.

For the study, researchers looked at elderly Japanese-American men who were part of the ongoing Honolulu-Asia Aging Study. Autopsies were performed on 774 of the men after they died, most of whom had suffered from high blood pressure or were being treated for the disease. About 15 percent were taking a beta-blocker alone, while another 18 percent were taking a beta blocker along with another blood pressure medication.

Those taking beta blockers had the fewest brain abnormalities typical of Alzheimer’s disease. They also had fewer microinfarcts, a condition that arises when blood does not get to certain areas of the brain, causing multiple tiny strokes.

Study participants who had taken beta blockers, alone or in combination with another blood pressure medication, also had significantly less shrinkage in their brains. Shrinkage of the brain occurs in all forms of neurodegenerative disease and progresses as the disease gets worse.

This does not mean that beta blockers will prevent Alzheimer’s disease in people who do not have high blood pressure. People with high blood pressure are more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease. Treatment of their high blood pressure with beta blockers lowered their risk of developing Alzheimer’s to the level of risk seen in people without high blood pressure.

“With the number of people with Alzheimer’s disease expected to grow significantly as our population ages, it is increasingly important to identify factors that could delay or prevent the disease,” said study author Dr. Lon White of the Pacific Health Research and Education Institute in Honolulu. “These results are exciting, especially since beta blockers are a common treatment for high blood pressure.”

More research needs to be done to confirm the links between high blood pressure, dementia and various types of blood pressure medications. It is not a good idea for someone to start taking beta blocker drugs as an Alzheimer’s preventive or for someone on blood pressure medications to switch drugs without consulting their doctor.

Prion disease is now the fastest-growing cause of death in the world. The medical term for prion disease is transmissible spongiform encephalopathy, which includes ALS, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, mad cow disease, chronic wasting disease. The operative word is transmissible.

There are proven strategies to help avert neurodegenerative disease, including nutrition, exercise and prion aversion. There is not a cure for prion disease. Preview and order the eBook now to defend yourself and your family.

The post Beta Blockers Prevent Neurodegenerative Disease appeared first on Neuroscience News.