Highlights
- Experts have created a drink
- The drink may help slow down cognitive impairment in early Alzheimers
- Alzheimer's is believed to be caused due to the loss of brain synapses
Experts at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have created a drink that may help slow down cognitive impairment in the early stages of the disease. Alzheimer's is believed to be caused due to the loss of brain synapses. The team has managed to create a drink called Souvenaid that combines omega-3 fatty acids along with vitamins like B13, B, C and E. Experts suggests that the mix of nutrients in the form of this drink may boost synapses production, connectivity between brain regions, memory and other cognitive functions.
The 24-month long clinical trial involved 300 Alzheimer's patients. It was found that those who consumed the drink showed about 45% less cognitive decline than people on placebo. Patients who drank Souvenaid showed less worsening in everyday cognitive and functional performance and improvement in verbal-memory performance.
The findings of the trial were published in the journal Lancet and reported that the drink led to a 26% reduction in the loss of hippocampal volume, which is usually caused in the early stages of Alzheimer's owing to brain tissue loss. According to the results, Souvenaid may help in slowing down or stopping the progression of the very initial onset of Alzheimer's and may prevent it from turning into a full-blown disease. Further research is needed to establish the same.
Inputs from IANS