For generations, it has been taken for granted that cognitive decline is an inevitable part of the aging process. However, the prevalence of Alzheimer's disease – and the traumatizing impact it can have on those affected as well as their loved ones – has led many researchers to ask what can be done to protect brain health. Though a cure has yet to be found, scientists have made promising strides in the field of memory support, and have unearthed various natural compounds that may be able to prevent the neurological tangles and buildup associated with certain forms of dementia.
Recently, researchers from Oregon State University (OSU) released a study on the nature of age-related cognitive decline, focusing on the gradual loss of GluN2B subunits of NMDA receptors in the brain. According to ScienceDaily, these subunits play an integral role in basic recollection, but they are naturally lost over time. Understanding this process, and how the rate of their loss may be slowed, could well prove the next step in promoting long-term brain health.
"There may be ways to influence [the rate of this loss] with diet, health habits, continued mental activity or even drugs," explained OSU neuroscientist Kathy Magnusson. "The one thing that does seem fairly clear is that cognitive decline is not inevitable, It's biological, we're finding out why it happens."
Time will tell how these findings could affect treatments for dementia, or whether they will influence how we perceive nutrition for the brain. In the meantime, various nutritional compounds including curcumin have been shown to act as brain enhancers. Click here to read more information about our brain support supplements.