A recent study conducted by Amal Kaddoumi from Auburn University’s Harrison College of Pharmacy, found that extra virgin olive oil could positively affect individuals with mild cognitive impairment.
The research, published in the journal Nutrients, indicates that compounds in olive oil may enhance brain health and boost the blood-brain barrier’s performance.
The Study: Comparing Extra Virgin & Refined Olive Oil
Kaddoumi’s study involved 25 participants experiencing mild cognitive impairment.
They were assigned to consume about three tablespoons (30 milliliters) of either extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) or refined olive oil (ROO) every day for six months.
EVOO, rich in phenols, was compared to ROO, which is refined and devoid of these organic compounds.
The Tests & Findings: Olive Oil’s Impact on Cognitive Function
Participants underwent a series of tests before and after consuming olive oil, including MRI scans, cognitive tests, and blood analyses for Alzheimer’s disease biomarkers.
Both EVOO and ROO improved cognitive function, as observed through improved clinical dementia ratings and other behavioral scores.
But intriguingly, MRI scan results differed between the two types of olive oil.
While EVOO bolstered the blood-brain barrier function and enhanced the functional connectivity between various brain areas, ROO amplified the functional brain activation to a memory task in cognition-related brain regions.
The Blood-Brain Barrier: A Key Player in Cognitive Health
The blood-brain barrier’s permeability served as a significant indicator in this study.
This network of blood vessels and tissue safeguards the brain from exposure to neurotoxins in the blood and helps clear out brain waste products, maintaining brain health.
The study showed that both EVOO and ROO modified two major Alzheimer’s disease biomarkers, beta-amyloid and tau phosphorylation, suggesting these olive oil types influenced the processing and clearance of beta-amyloid.
Consistency & Surprises: Backing Previous Findings & Unearthing New Ones
Kaddoumi’s results align with her previous research on mouse models of Alzheimer’s disease.
This pilot study, however, is the first to investigate the direct impact of olive oil consumption on the human brain.
Interestingly, the study revealed that even the ROO group, lacking EVOO’s phenolic compounds, exhibited improvements.
Kaddoumi speculates that oleic acid, a primary monounsaturated fat present in both EVOO and ROO, could be responsible for this positive impact.
Future Studies: From Cognitive Impairment to Healthy Brains
While excited by the pilot study’s results, Kaddoumi emphasizes the need for additional studies.
The findings suggest that incorporating olive oil into our diets could maintain brain health and improve memory function, potentially offering a new dietary strategy against Alzheimer’s disease.
The next step involves larger clinical trials with cognitively normal individuals and testing various grades of olive oil.
If you care about Alzheimer’s, please read studies about Vitamin D deficiency linked to Alzheimer’s, vascular dementia, and Oral cannabis extract may help reduce Alzheimer’s symptoms.
For more information about brain health, please see recent studies about Vitamin B9 deficiency linked to higher dementia risk, and results showing flavonoid-rich foods could improve survival in Parkinson’s disease.
The study was published in Nutrients. Follow us on Twitter for more articles about this topic.
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