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Tag: Alzheimer’s disease

  • Walnuts help to prevent Alzheimer’s disease & other cognitive impairment from brain cell damage.

    Dr.Sanjana p Souparnika

    Daily consumption of walnuts may reduce the risk or slow the progression of age-related cognitive decline, mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease

    Are you concerned about your cognitive abilities declining with the ageing process? Sometimes, people suffer from progressive reduction in comprehension, understanding and memory even before other changes of ageing set in apparently. It is a red signal or a cautionary warning that most probably, it could be the beginning of mild cognitive impairment.

    Cognition is the terminology that denotes the mental process of thinking, learning, and understanding. It involves a number of interacting skills, including attention, language, memory, and perception.

    Cognitive impairment is much more severe than the age-related declining memory and difficulties of comprehension. Of late it is discussed with enhanced significance  by the global population due to the spike in its incidence. Ageing as well as some hereditary and environmental factors accelerate the nerve cell degeneration within the brain and cause cognitive impairment or decline.

      Nowadays there is a global spike in the occurrence of Alzheimer’s disease which is considered as the major cognitive impairment.  Alzheimer’s runs in families, however it has been detected in people with no positive family history of the disease. Therefore, the impact of free radicals on brain cells came into the view as the most probable cause of the nerve degeneration and it was researched meticulously across the globe. It has been confirmed that Cognitive impairment occurs as a result of free radical attack on brain cells.

    How is Alzheimer’s disease linked with free radicals?

    Amyloid beta protein (Aβ) is the main component of amyloid plaques in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease. Several studies suggest that Aβ stimulates the production of free radicals in nerve cells, which leads to oxidative damage and cell death.

     Free radicals are various types of chemicals which either reach human body from outside through numerous sources or they are generated as byproducts of metabolism of the body. Free radicals cause oxidative stress to body cells. Nerve cells or neurons are not exempted from this damage, instead, they suffer more intensely.

    Aβ can also induce neuroinflammation by increasing pro-inflammatory cytokines and enzymes.

     Oxidative stress and neuroinflammation have important roles in the aging process, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and other brain disorders.

    Currently the only solution that has been emerged to fight against free radical damage is antioxidants.

    What are antioxidants?

    These compounds are effective warriors against the free radical attack and consequent damage to cells and tissues. Antioxidants prevent damage to nerve cells or neurons also. Thus, the antioxidants may function as very potent compounds against cognitive decline or impairment resulting from nerve cell damage or degeneration.

    We may get the advantage of antioxidant protection by consuming various kinds of vegetables, fruits, seeds and nuts.

     Among the potent antioxidant foods walnuts play a pivotal role in protecting the nervous system and brain from free radical damage. Many research studies corroborate the good effects of walnuts on the brain and nervous system

    Walnuts

    Walnuts are nutritious seeds native to North and South America, southern Europe, Asia, and the West Indies. Walnut is the common name for any of the large, deciduous trees comprising the genus Juglans of the flowering plant family Juglandaceae.

    The word “walnut” derives from Old English wealhhnutu, literally “foreign nut,” with wealh meaning “foreign.” Walnuts are used for their edible fruit, their wood, and their ornamental purposes. There are many  species of walnuts. The nuts of all the species are edible, but the walnuts commonly available in stores are from the Persian walnut, the only species that has a large nut and thin shell, with the edible portion most easily separated from the shell.

    These seeds have immense potential to improve brain & cardiovascular health. Walnuts may be effective in improving chronic inflammation and neurodegeneration of brain.

    Walnuts are also great immunity boosting foods. A study [1] shows that walnut could significantly improve humoral and cell-mediated immunity. Walnut proteins boost the immune system and perform their immunomodulatory functions.

    Walnuts also helps to reduce blood sugar levels. A large study of 83,818 women (age: 34–59 years) showed that dietary supplementation of 1 oz of nuts, such as walnuts, five times or more per week decreased the risk of developing type 2 diabetes [5].

    Nutritional value of walnuts:

    According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Nutrient Database, 1 cup of unbranded, organic walnuts (30 grams) contains:

    Energy: 200 calories

    Carbohydrate 3.89 grams (g)

    Sugar: 1 g

    Fiber: 2 g

    Protein: 5 g

    Fat: 20 g

    Calcium: 20 milligrams (mg)

    Iron: 0.72 mg

    Sodium: 0 mg

    Walnuts also provide minerals such as:

    manganese

    copper

    magnesium

    phosphorus

    vitamin B6

    iron

    Walnuts – Great source of omega fatty acids to boost brain health

    Walnuts contain a lot of polyunsaturated fatty acids, which can improve heart and brain functions. Walnuts contain alpha-linolenic and linoleic acids, which may have anti-inflammatory effects that keep blood vessels healthy and reduce bad blood cholesterol.

    How does walnut consumption help to fight against cognitive impairment?

     Walnuts contain several components that have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.

    Animal and human studies suggest that supplementation with walnuts in the diet may improve cognition and reduce the risk and/or progression of Mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease [2].

     Walnuts have a high content (3.68 mmol/oz) of antioxidants, including flavonoids, phenolic acid (ellagic acid), melatonin, folate, gamma tocopherol (vitamin E), selenium, juglone, and proanthocyanidins .

    Walnuts also provide protein (4 g/oz), fiber (2 g/oz), phosphorus (10% daily value), and magnesium (11% daily value).

    Walnuts  have mainly polyunsaturated fat (13 g of 18 g total fat per 1 oz walnuts), of which the alpha linolenic acid [ALA] amount is 2.5 g.

    Omega fatty acids in walnuts have anti-inflammatory properties.

     walnuts contain a high amount of n-3 α-linolenic acid (ALA), a plant-based omega-3 fatty acid that has a highly potent anti-inflammatory effect.

    ALA is the precursor for eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which are known to have anti-inflammatory effects.

    Studies have shown that ALA inhibits inflammation by downregulating iNOS (thus inhibiting NO production), COX-2, and inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α)

    In another study with older women, higher long-term intake of walnuts was reported to be associated with better cognitive performance. In this study, 15,467 women (70 years of age or older; mean age: 74 years) participated.

     The National Health and Nutrition Examination Study (NHANES) of an adult population [of age groups 20–59 years; 60 years and older) in the United States also showed better cognition scores with walnut consumption.

    How do walnuts help to prevent cognitive impairment?

    The potential mechanisms by which dietary consumption of walnuts may reduce the risk or slow the progression of age-related cognitive decline, mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease include:

    • Walnuts Inhibit Aβ Fibrillization and Solubilize Aβ Fibrils which are important diseases causing deposits of nerve cells in Alzheimer’s disease.
    • Walnuts Decrease alpha beta protein or Aβ-induced Oxidative Stress and Cell Damage. The components of walnuts, such as flavonoids, ellagic acid, gamma tocopherol, and melatonin, are known to have antioxidant and free-radical scavenging properties.

    Parkinsons disease also is a nervous system disease associated with cognitive impairment. Walnut extract has shown to improve symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease (postural balance, motor coordination, and movement), These seeds  have been found to be effective in reducing oxidative stress, and protecting neurons[4].

    Include walnuts in your daily foods for better brain health

    Walnut may be used as ingredients of porridge, cheese sauce, Apple walnut salad, fruit muffins, granola bars and brownie balls.  Walnut cookies& Walnut cakes also are yummy and nutritious disserts.

    Reference

    1. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1756464620302929
    2. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7071526/
    3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24886736/
    4. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26784178/
    5. .Jiang R., Manson J.E., Stampfer M.J., Liu S., Willett W.C., Hu F.B. Nut and peanut butter consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes in women. JAMA. 2002;288:2554–2560. doi: 10.1001/jama.288.20.2554. [DOI] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12444862/
    6.   https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5994573/
    7.    https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/health-benefits-of-walnuts-2018081314526
    8.    https://www.britannica.com/plant/walnut-tree-and-nut
    9. https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Walnut
    10. image courtesy-freepik.com

    Recommended For You

    Nuts &seeds

    Nuts are nutrient dense foods, made up of unsaturated fat Omega fatty acids which play significant role in brain ,heart and hair health.

    walnut is the edible seed of any tree of the genus Juglans (family Juglandaceae), particularly the Persian or English walnut, Juglans regia. They are accessory fruit because the outer covering of the fruit is technically an involucre and thus not morphologically part of the carpel; this means it cannot be a drupe but is instead a drupe-like nut.

    After full ripening, the shell is discarded, and the kernel is eaten.

    Walnuts

    Walnuts are a great immunity boosting foods as well as cardiovascular and neuronal health protecting nuts.Include them in your diet to stay

    English walnuts without shells are 4% water, 15% protein, 65% fat, and 14% carbohydrates, including 7% dietary fiber

  • Dementia – problems with memory & cognitive brain functions

    Dr.Sanjana p Souparnika

    Dementia-memory loss -An over view

    Dementia is a medical term which denotes impaired ability to remember, think, or make decisions that interferes with doing everyday activities. Around more than 55 million people suffer from dementia globally. Currently Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia.

    In this disorder of brain there is destruction or degeneration of nerve cells of brain. The end result of this degeneration is  deterioration in cognitive function (i.e. the ability to process thought) . This state can not be compared with age related degenerative changes in brain and gradual loss of memory and other brain functions. It is more complex than the age-related changes in cognition.

    The consciousness is not affected in this disorder of brain.  Some kind of changes in mood, emotional control, behavior, or motivation occur in most of the dementia affected people before or after the impairment in cognition or functions of brain.

    Who are affected more with dementia?

    It is believed that dementia runs in families sometimes. But we cannot conclude that every case of dementia may have a history of occurrence of the disease in the family.  Briefly, there wouldn’t be a positive family history in all types of dementia.

    This neurocognitive disorder seems to be linked with some ethnic groups.

    Older African Americans are twice more likely to have dementia than whites. Hispanics 1.5 times more likely to have dementia than whites.

    It has been found that dementia rate is accelerated by some habits in people such as smoking. Smoking can enhance the risk for dementia.

    What are the different types of dementia?

     

    • Alzheimer’s disease

    Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia, accounting for 60 to 80 percent of cases. The risk increases by 10 to 30 percent if te disease is present among family members.

    • Vascular dementia

      About 10 percent of dementia cases are happening after strokes or other impediments with blood flow to the brain. This is known as vascular dementia. Diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol are risk factors for vascular dementia.

    • Lewy body dementia

    Lewy body dementia is another type of dementia associated with memory loss, balance problems, stiffness or trembling.

    • Fronto-temporal dementia

    Fronto-temporal dementia is a special type of dementia linked with changes in personality and behavior because of changes in specific brain areas. In people with this dementia behavior is affected worst. They may make offensive comments without any reason. Also neglecting responsibilities at home or work is common in these patients. Their language skills like speaking or understanding also affected.

     In some people more than one type of dementia may coexist, particularly in people aged 80 and older. Dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease and stroke may occur in the same person. This is called mixed dementia.

    Other reversible causes of dementia include side effect of medication, increased pressure in the brain, vitamin deficiency, and thyroid hormone imbalance etc.

      Dementia is currently the seventh leading cause of death and one of the major causes of disability and dependency among older people globally.

    Risk factors for dementia

    ·       Old age (more common in those 65 or older)

    ·       high blood pressure (hypertension)

    ·       high blood sugar (diabetes)

    ·        Overweight or obesity

    ·       Smoking

    ·       drinking too much alcohol

    ·        Physical inactivity

    ·       Social isolation

    ·       Depression

    How does dementia affect the quality of life of a person?

    Dementia affects the potentials of a person & quality of life .

    It affects:

    ·       Memory

    ·       Attention

    ·       Communication

    ·       Reasoning, judgment, and problem solving

    ·       Visual perception beyond typical age-related changes in vision

    Signs that may indicate dementia include:

    ·       Getting lost in a familiar neighborhood

    ·       Using unusual words to refer to familiar objects

    ·       Forgetting the name of a close family member or friend

    ·       Forgetting old memories

    ·       losing or misplacing things

    ·       getting lost when walking or driving

    ·       being confused, even in familiar places

    ·       losing track of time

    ·       difficulties solving problems or making decisions

    ·       Losing the ability to do things independently.

    Changes in mood and behavior also follow or precede the main symptoms of dementia and these include:

    ·       anxious, sad, or angry  mood about memory loss

    ·       personality changes

    ·       inappropriate behavior

    ·       withdrawal from work

    ·       indifferent to social activities

    ·       not interested in other people’s emotions

    Complications of dementia memory loss

     Usually most of the symptoms of dementia worsen over time, while a few symptoms diminish for a particular period or only occur in the later stages of dementia.

    As the disease progresses, the ability to do things independently decreases.

     Dementia has physical, psychological, social and economic impacts.

    The people affected with dementia fail to recognize family members or friends.

    There can be loss of control over their bladder and bowls.

    They may have trouble eating and drinking .Aggressive behavior may happen in dementia and it will be troublesome to care givers and the patient too.

    How can you suspect dementia ?

    The diagnosis of dementia requires observation of a change from a person’s usual mental functioning and a greater cognitive decline than what is caused by normal aging. There should be considerable change in memory and other cognitive brain functions in a greater degree to suspect dementia.

    The symptoms observed by the relatives or care givers is important . Dementia is more serious than the age related changes in memory and thinking capacity. However the problem requires some lab investigations and imaging studies to confirm or rule out it.

    Diagnosis is usually based on history of the illness and cognitive testing with imaging studies [ MRI, CT scans]. Blood tests may be done to rule out other probable but reversible causes.

    What is the treatment available for managing dementia?

    The treatment is decided based on the type of dementia and the underlying causes. So the primary step is to identify the causes of this brain disorder.

    In vascular dementia stroke is the cause of dementia. It is addressed with post stroke medications, nutrition and exercise programs.

    Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder with genes as its most probable cause. There is no effective cure till date.

    Recently oxidative stress by free radicals has been implicated with significance. Therefore the role of nutrition and antioxidant rich food is included in the treatment and prevention of Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders.

    Being  physically active or taking part in activities and social interactions that stimulate the brain and maintain daily function is important in prevention as well as management of dementia.

    Medications

    Some medications in modern or conventional medicine can help manage dementia symptoms.

     Cholinesterase inhibitors like donepezil are used to treat Alzheimer disease.

    NMDA receptor antagonists like memantine are used for severe Alzheimer disease and vascular dementia.

    Medicines to control blood pressure and cholesterol can prevent further damage to the brain due to vascular dementia consequent to stroke.

    Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) can help with severe symptoms of depression in people living with dementia if lifestyle and social changes found ineffective. In aggressive dementia patients who are at risk of hurting themselves or others, medicines like haloperidol and risperidone can help.

     All the medications are to be recommended by a board certified healthcare provider after careful analysis of each person having dementia. Do not take over the counter medications.

    Complementary & alternative system of medicine

    Following therapies are available to mitigate the psychological, behavioral and speech related problems.

    ·       Occupational therapy

    ·       Speech therapy

    ·       Mental health counseling.

    ·       Music or art therapy

    ·       Homeopathy

    Homeopathy offers some medicines to improve the symptoms of cognitive decline. Here also the underlying cause of the condition is taken into account to decide treatment.

    References

    1.    https://www.cdc.gov/aging/dementia/index.html

    2.    https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/dementia

    3.    https://medlineplus.gov/dementia.html

    4.   https://siahmsrwellness.in/dementia-homeopathic-management

    5.    Homeopathic medical repertory Mind dementia [p- 1574]