Olive oil is good for the brain. And it is the elderly who benefit most from it. A team of scholars confirm the nutritional value of one of the main components of the Mediterranean diet.
In the mammalian brain, particularly in the hippocampus, new neurons are produced throughout life. This process, called neurogenesis - reads a note - is essential for the formation of episodic memory, as recent research has shown: the new neurons of the hippocampus are generated starting from stem cells and a progressive decline takes place during aging. of both, which is at the origin of a drastic reduction in episodic memory. Hydroxytyrosol, present in extra virgin olive oil, has strong antioxidant and protective properties on cells and it is known that various factors, including diet, are able to stimulate adult neurogenesis.
The oral intake of hydroxytyrosol for a month keeps the new neurons produced during this period alive, both in adults and even more in the elderly, in which it also stimulates the proliferation of stem cells, from which neurons are generated.
