Maybe it’s not just a coincidence
that walnuts look like miniature human brains. A new study indicates that a
diet including walnuts may help combat dementia.
The study, published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, found
walnuts help reduce the risk, delay the onset, slow the progression of, and may
even prevent Alzheimer's disease.
The research — led by Abha Chauhan,
head of the Developmental Neuroscience Laboratory at the New York State
Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities — found mice fed a
walnut-rich diet experienced significant improvements in learning skills,
memory, and motor development. They also had lower anxiety levels.
"These findings are very
promising and help lay the groundwork for future human studies on walnuts and
Alzheimer's disease – a disease for which there is no known cure," said
Chauhan. "Our study adds to the growing body of research that demonstrates
the protective effects of walnuts on cognitive functioning."
The researchers suggested that the
high antioxidant content of walnuts may be a contributing factor in protecting
the brain from the degeneration typically seen in Alzheimer's disease.
Oxidative stress and inflammation are prominent features in this disease, which
affects more than five million Americans.
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