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A compound found in common foods such as red grapes and peanuts may help prevent age-related decline in memory, according to new research published by a faculty member in the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine.
Resveratrol is an antioxidant that is found in the skin of red grapes, as well as in red wine, peanuts and some berries. It has been widely touted for its potential to prevent heart disease, but this team researchers from the health science center believe it also has positive effects on the hippocampus, an area of the brain that is critical to functions such as memory, learning and mood.
Because both humans and animals show a decline in cognitive capacity after middle age, the findings may have implications for treating memory loss in the elderly. Resveratrol may even be able to help people afflicted with severe neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's disease.
Category(s):Learning Difficulties
Source material from Texas A&M University
