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| Bioactive ingredients found in cocoa sharply reversed age related memory decline in a group of volunteers recent research indicated. |
The compounds,called flavanols were taken in a specially prepared cocoa drink,according to an experiment published by the journal Nature Neuroscience.
Over three months,37 healthy volunteers aged 50-69 had a daily drink containing either a high dose of flavanols-900milligrammes-or a low dose,10mg.
The scientist carried out brain imaging,measuring blood volume in a key part of the hippocampus vcalled the dentate gyrus,a region of memory formation whose performance typically declines as one ages.
The tests entailed a 20 -minute pattern-recognition exercise designed to assess a type of memory controlled by the dentate gyrus.
If a participant had the memory of a typical 60-year old at the beginning of the study,after three months that person on average had the memory of a typical 30-40 year old,saidScot Small,a professor of neurlogy at columbia University Medical Center in New York.
More work,in a bigger group is needed to verify there early findings,he cautioned.
Flavanols have excited freat interest.They dangle the possibility of tackling age related memory loss in the world's fast growing population of elderly but without using drugs.
The compound exist in grapes,blueberries and other fruits as well as in vegetables and tea.But the type of flavanol and the amount vary widely.
Previous study in mice shows that the class of flavanol found in cocoa boost the performance of dentate gyrus.
The dentate gyrus in humans and mice are very similar,"Small said in an e-mail exchange with AFP.
"I suppose that our study does show,for the first time ,that flavanols improves the function of humans dentate gyrus,particularly in ageing humans.
Here my piece of advice to you my readers. Lets all try and experiment this and see.
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