The food that you eat could impact your memory too, revealed a latest study, published in the journal Neurobiology of Aging. The team of researchers found that cholecystokinin (CCK) – a satiety hormone that is highly expressed in memory formation – could, at higher levels, bring down a person's chances of developing Alzheimer's disease by a whopping 65 percent!
CCK is a peptide hormone of the gastrointestinal system that helps stimulate the digestion of fat and protein. Cholecystokinin can be found in both the small intestines and the brain. CCK enables smooth absorption of fats and proteins in small intestines. Meanwhile in the brain, the satiety hormone is located in the hippocampus, which is the memory-forming region of the brain, explained Auriel Willette, Assistant Professor at the Iowa State University in the US.
The team looked at CCK in 287 people. For the study, the team used data from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI).
"The regulation of when and how much we eat can have some association with how good our memory is – what we eat and what our body does with it affects our brain. It will hopefully help to shed further light on how satiety hormones in the blood and brain affect brain function," Willette said.
The researchers are affirmative that this study will help encourage people to look into the nutritional aspect of the diet and not evaluate just on the basis of calories it will generate. Alexandra Plagman, who is the lead author and graduate student at the varsity, is currently looking at how diet impacts an individual's CCK levels through researching fasting glucose and ketone bodies.
"By looking at the nutritional aspect, we can tell if a certain diet could prevent Alzheimer's disease or prevent progression of the disease," Plagman said.
Brain-Power Boosting Foods
What you eat has been very closely linked with not just your memory but overall brain function too. For instance, foods rich in omega 3 fatty acids are said to support brain power naturally. Low levels of omega 3 fatty acids may accelerate brain ageing. Similarly, vitamins and minerals like thiamine, folate, magnesium and zinc are fruitful too. Here are some nutrient-dense foods that are renowned to boost brain power naturally:
1. Almonds
2. Salmon
3. Eggs
4. Coconut oil
5. Walnuts.
(With inputs IANS)
