A diet rich in polyphenols and healthy fats could delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease through the production of new brain cells and the strengthening of neural networks.
A new study showed that mice fed a diet based on polyphenols and fatty acids, when compared to those in the control group, had more cell growth in the olfactory bulb and the hippocampus, both of which are damaged in patients with Alzheimer’s disease.
The researchers maintain that their results show that the diet is capable of inducing the generation of new cells in the adult brain, and of strengthening the neural networks which become affected with age and in neurodegenerative processes such as Alzheimer's disease. It could also protect neurons from oxidative and neural damage, which have been associated with many diseases affecting the central nervous system.