| Degenerative neurological diseases such as | | | | The FDA allows the claim: "Consumption of |
| Alzheimer's and Parkinson have a severe social and | | | | phosphatidylserine (PS) may reduce the risk of |
| economic impact and it is only quite recently that | | | | cognitive dysfunction in the elderly." |
| they have been recognised and accorded great | | | | Phosphatidylcholine (PC) |
| attention by mainstream medicine. This is greatly due | | | | Phosphatidylcholine has a key role in the maintenance |
| to the fact that age is the greatest risk-factor for | | | | of the cell-membrane integrity. Strengthening the cell |
| such conditions and people are simply living longer and | | | | walls is vital as the diseased cells effectively leak |
| becoming susceptible to it. | | | | choline, and so reduce the production of the |
| Unfortunately, modern medicine cannot cure | | | | neurotransmitter, acetycholine. |
| Alzheimer's or Parkinson's and many sufferers and | | | | PS it is vital to all of the basic biological processes, |
| families undergo an extremely traumatic experience | | | | including the forming of cellular energy and |
| as loved ones are slowly lost to these awful | | | | communication within, and between the cells, and |
| conditions. However, there is mounting scientific and | | | | plays a crucial role in many of the brains' processes. |
| anecdotal evidence that nutritional supplements can | | | | (2) |
| play a key role in the prevention and improvement of | | | | Oleic Acid (Omega 9 Fatty Acid) |
| these neurological conditions and greatly aid general | | | | Myelin, the protective sheath that covers the brain |
| cognitive improvement. | | | | cells necessary for communication, is composed of |
| What happens in the brain affected by Alzheimer's or | | | | 30% protein and 70% fat. One of the most common |
| Parkinson's? | | | | fatty acids in myelin is oleic acid, which is crucial for |
| In the normal brain, signals in the form of electrical | | | | brain development and function as it helps to |
| impulses traverse along nerves from our body to | | | | manufacture and maintain cell membranes. Scientists |
| parts of the brain. The nerve signals bridge gaps | | | | have reported that neurodegenerative disorders such |
| (synapse) between the nerve cells (neurons), aided | | | | as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's appear to exhibit |
| by chemicals known as 'neurotransmitters'. Each | | | | membrane loss of fatty acids and that oleic acid may |
| nerve cell communicates with many others forming | | | | help to delay their onset or reduce the damage to |
| networks and the signals communicated are essential | | | | the brains' functions which these diseases elicit. (3) |
| not only for brain activities such as memory and | | | | The reduction of oleic acid correlates to a decline in |
| language but also for controlling movement. | | | | the structural and functional integrity of the cells. |
| The diseases are characterised by a gradual reduction | | | | Quercetin |
| in the number of nerve cells, a shrinking of the brain, | | | | Quercetin is a flavanoid which has strong antioxidant |
| and cognitive functions progressively worsen as more | | | | properties. The build up of plaques indicative in |
| cells are destroyed. There is also a reduction in the | | | | Alzheimer's and Parkinson's which kills brain cells is |
| amount of the neurotransmitters, acetylcholine and | | | | related to oxidative stress and neurotoxicity. |
| dopamine, attributing to poor cellular communication. | | | | Clinical research suggests that quercetin showed |
| Inside the nerve cells, 'tangles' form, which is a build | | | | protective effects against toxicity by modulating |
| up of the protein 'tau', disrupting the signals cells pass | | | | oxidative stress and that it may provide a promising |
| to one another and ultimately ending in the death of | | | | approach for the treatment of AD and other |
| the cell. | | | | oxidative-stress-related neurodegenerative diseases. |
| Another characteristic of the both Alzheimer's and | | | | (4) |
| Parkinson's disease development are 'plaques' which | | | | Summary |
| accumulate between the cells, again disrupting signals, | | | | Individual plant extracts are proven to play |
| caused by another protein, 'beta-amyloid'. This | | | | fundamental roles in nerve cell health and a |
| promotes inflammation and oxidation. | | | | combination of them can provide broad-spectrum |
| Plaques and tangles form in a predictable pattern, | | | | protection against the multiple mechanisms involved in |
| blocking communication amongst nerve cells and | | | | neurological deterioration. In addition, plant extracts |
| disrupting the activities that the cell needs to survive. | | | | can play an important role in the research of new |
| Four Plant Extracts Proven to Improve Alzheimer's | | | | pharmacological preparations. |
| & Dementia | | | | 1. Cenacchi T, Bertoldin T, Farina C, et al. Cognitive |
| Phospahtidylserine (PS) | | | | decline in the elderly: a double-blind, placebo-controlled |
| Phosphatidylserine is necessary in the brain for | | | | multicenter study on efficacy of phosphatidylserine |
| effective neurotransmission as it is important for the | | | | administration. Aging, Milan. 1993;5:123-133. |
| production of acetycholine, the aforementioned | | | | 2. Canty, DJ and Zeisel, SH. Nutr Reviews. 52;327-339, |
| neurotransmitter which sufferers of Alzheimer's and | | | | 1994 |
| Parkinson's have a deficiency of. It has been proven | | | | 3. International Journal of Developmental |
| to improve behaviour, mental function and mood, as | | | | Neuroscience, July 2000 |
| was found in a study of 494 elderly individuals who | | | | 4. Protective effect of quercetin in primary neurons |
| suffered from moderate to severe mental decline, | | | | against Aβ(1-42): relevance to Alzheimer's |
| who took 300mg per day for six months. (1) | | | | disease. |