Quantcast
ZME Science
  • News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Future
  • Space
  • Features
    Menu
    Natural Sciences
    Health
    History & Humanities
    Space & Astronomy
    Technology
    Culture
    Resources
    Natural Sciences

    Physics

    • Matter and Energy
    • Quantum Mechanics
    • Thermodynamics

    Chemistry

    • Periodic Table
    • Applied Chemistry
    • Materials
    • Physical Chemistry

    Biology

    • Anatomy
    • Biochemistry
    • Ecology
    • Genetics
    • Microbiology
    • Plants and Fungi

    Geology and Paleontology

    • Planet Earth
    • Earth Dynamics
    • Rocks and Minerals
    • Volcanoes
    • Dinosaurs
    • Fossils

    Animals

    • Mammals
    • Birds
    • Fish
    • Reptiles
    • Amphibians
    • Invertebrates
    • Pets
    • Conservation
    • Animals Facts

    Climate and Weather

    • Climate Change
    • Weather and Atmosphere

    Geography

    Mathematics

    Health
    • Drugs
    • Diseases and Conditions
    • Human Body
    • Mind and Brain
    • Food and Nutrition
    • Wellness
    History & Humanities
    • Anthropology
    • Archaeology
    • Economics
    • History
    • People
    • Sociology
    Space & Astronomy
    • The Solar System
    • The Sun
    • The Moon
    • Planets
    • Asteroids, Meteors and Comets
    • Astronomy
    • Astrophysics
    • Cosmology
    • Exoplanets and Alien Life
    • Spaceflight and Exploration
    Technology
    • Computer Science & IT
    • Engineering
    • Inventions
    • Sustainability
    • Renewable Energy
    • Green Living
    Culture
    • Culture and Society
    • Bizarre Stories
    • Lifestyle
    • Art and Music
    • Gaming
    • Books
    • Movies and Shows
    Resources
    • How To
    • Science Careers
    • Metascience
    • Fringe Science
    • Science Experiments
    • School and Study
    • Natural Sciences
    • Health
    • History and Humanities
    • Space & Astronomy
    • Culture
    • Technology
    • Resources
  • Reviews
  • More
    • Agriculture
    • Anthropology
    • Biology
    • Chemistry
    • Electronics
    • Geology
    • History
    • Mathematics
    • Nanotechnology
    • Economics
    • Paleontology
    • Physics
    • Psychology
    • Robotics
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

Home → Science → News

Green tea and carrot compounds reverse Alzheimer’s symptoms in mice

Spatial memory improved in mice after a special three-month diet.

Tibi Puiu by Tibi Puiu
March 8, 2019
in Mind & Brain, News, Nutrition

Credit: Pixabay.

Billions have been spent on research that might lead to new drugs for treating Alzheimer’s, but while substantial progress has been made, there’s not much yet in the way of a cure. But one new study suggests that dieting may be an important factor for managing the neurodegenerative disease’s symptoms. According to the findings, chemical compounds typically found in green tea and carrots reversed Alzheimer’s-like symptoms in mice.

“You don’t have to wait 10 to 12 years for a designer drug to make it to market; you can make these dietary changes today,” said senior author Terrence Town, a professor of physiology and neuroscience at the University of Southern California. “I find that very encouraging.”

Town and colleagues focused on two compounds: EGCG ( epigallocatechin-3-gallate), one of the main ingredients of green tea, and FA (ferulic acid), commonly found in carrots, tomatoes, rice, wheat, and oats. The researchers randomly assigned 32 mice, which were genetically modified to have Alzheimer’s, to one of four groups, divided into an equal number of males and females. For three months, mice were given a combination of EGCG and FA, either EGCG or FA only, or a placebo — yes, rodents also have the placebo effect. Additionally, a group of healthy mice provided baseline performance for Alzheimer’s-free symptoms.

Before and after the three-month diet, the rodents were subjected to a barrage of tests that gauged their thinking and memory skills. One such test involves a Y-shape maze in order to assess a mouse’s spatial working memory, which is key to finding your way out of a building.

A healthy mouse will explore each arm of the Y maze in search of food or a way out. They will enter the three arms in sequence more often than by chance alone. But rodents with Alzheimer’s-like symptoms don’t do this as well because their spatial memory is impaired, making them more likely to explore the same arm twice.

“After three months, combination treatment completely restored spatial working memory and the Alzheimer’s mice performed just as well as the healthy comparison mice,” Town said.

Alzheimer’s disease is widely believed to be caused by the accumulation of beta-amyloid proteins which clump together to form plaques between neurons and disrupt cell function. Another physical characteristic of the Alzheimer’s diseased brain is the buildup of tau proteins, which tangle inside neurons, blocking their transport system. Town suspects that the compounds prevent bigger amyloid proteins from breaking up into smaller amyloid beta proteins that clog neurons. They may also reduce neuroinflammation and oxidative stress in the brain, both important aspects of Alzheimer’s pathology.

But while the study is exciting, its findings apply to mice and most such discoveries never translate into human treatments. Even so, green tea and carrots are harmless and there’s nothing to stop people from including them in their diet. In the future, Town wants to explore this combination treatment further.

The findings appeared in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.

Was this helpful?


Thanks for your feedback!

Related posts:
  1. Green tea ingredient may target protein to kill oral cancer cells
  2. Scientists think they’ve figured out why green tea helps you lose weight
  3. Green tea and iron don’t go well together
  4. Activating one gene in the brains of male mice helps reverse depression
  5. Google’s top result for “cure for cancer”says carrot juice is the cure
Tags: alzheimer'scarrotgreen teamice

ADVERTISEMENT
  • News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Future
  • Space
  • Features
  • Reviews
  • More
  • About Us

© 2007-2021 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Future
  • Space
  • Features
    • Natural Sciences
    • Health
    • History and Humanities
    • Space & Astronomy
    • Culture
    • Technology
    • Resources
  • Reviews
  • More
    • Agriculture
    • Anthropology
    • Biology
    • Chemistry
    • Electronics
    • Geology
    • History
    • Mathematics
    • Nanotechnology
    • Economics
    • Paleontology
    • Physics
    • Psychology
    • Robotics
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact

© 2007-2021 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

Don’t you want to get smarter every day?

YES, sign me up!

Over 35,000 subscribers can’t be wrong. Don’t worry, we never spam. By signing up you agree to our privacy policy.

✕
ZME Science News

FREE
VIEW