Extra-virgin olive oil, cognition and brain health

Abstract

As the population ages and the healthcare improves, the incidence of diseases associated with aging is rising. Longevity is not necessarily synonymous with healthy aging and cognitive decline represents one of the most common and unwanted consequences of aging. Therefore maintaining optimal cognitive health in the elderly has become a priority. Given the extensive evidence in support of an association between diet and cognitive performance, in recent years, a growing number of studies have been investigating the impact of nutrition on brain health and memory. In particular, the Mediterranean diet and consumption of its main component, the extra-virgin olive oils (EVOOs) have been linked to better visual memory, verbal fluency, and decreased risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Besides the well-documented antioxidative and antiinflammatory properties, numerous in vitro and in vivo studies have revealed the potent beneficial effect of EVOO and its phenolic compounds in terms of synaptic function and integrity. Interestingly, recent reports have shed new lights into the possible mechanisms responsible for EVOO neuroprotective effect on memory, suggesting that it could be also mediated by an increase in adenosine triphosphate, the main source of energy in eukaryotic cells and by modulation of basal synaptic activity and short-term plasticity. This chapter summarizes the evidence in support of EVOO as a therapeutic agent for promoting brain health, delaying cognitive decline, and the onset of dementia and AD.