In a new study from the University of Queensland, researchers found selenium—a mineral found in many foods—could reverse the cognitive impact of stroke and boost learning and memory in aging brains.
Selenium is an essential trace mineral absorbed from soil and water and is found in foods such as grains, meat and nuts, with the highest levels found in Brazil nuts.
Previous studies on the impact of exercise on the aging brain found levels of a protein key to transporting selenium in the blood were elevated by physical activity.
In the study, the team examined whether dietary selenium supplements could replicate the effects of exercise.
The models showed that selenium supplementation could increase neuron generation and improve cognition in elderly mice.
The levels of new neuron generation decrease rapidly in aged mice, as they do in humans.
When selenium supplements were given to the mice, the production of neurons increased, reversing the cognitive deficits observed in aging.
The scientists also tested whether selenium would have an impact on the cognitive decline sometimes experienced following stroke, which can affect people’s memory and ability to learn.
They found that learning and memory deficits of stroke-affected mice returned to normal when they were given selenium supplements.
The results opened a new therapeutic avenue to boost cognitive function in people who were unable to exercise due to poor health or old age.
The team warns that selenium supplements shouldn’t be seen as a complete substitute for exercise, and too much can be bad for people.
A person who is getting a balanced diet of fruits, nuts, veggies, and meat usually has good selenium levels.
But in older people, particularly those with neurological conditions, selenium supplements could be beneficial.”
If you care about brain health, please read studies about common drugs may harm your memory function, causing cognitive decline, and Mediterranean diet may strongly prevent dementia, memory loss.
For more information about brain health, please see recent studies that high-potency cannabis may affect your memory functions, and results showing lithium in brain linked to depression.
The study is published in Cell Metabolism and was conducted by Dr. Tara Walker et al.
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