Alzheimer's disease is a chronic, progressive condition that results in loss of cognitive ability in the elderly. It is not fully understood, but inflammation and oxidative damage are thought to play a key role. A new study from Singapore found that men and women who regularly consumed dishes with curry had improved cognitive function compared to those who rarely or never consumed dishes with curry.
The primary spice in curry is curcumin. Curcumin is a potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant herb that is used both medicinally and as a culinary spice. Epidemiological studies have found that cultures who use curry in a majority of their food often suffer less incidence of Alzheimer's disease and dementia compared to US citizens.
The study, published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, gathered data on curry consumption from more than 1,000 men and women, all of whom had no previous diagnosis of dementia or decreased cognitive ability.
Each person was asked about their consumption of curry. Only 16 percent said they never or rarely ate curry, while 43 percent said is was a regular part of their diet.
The each participant completed the Mini-mental State Examination, a commonly used battery to assess cognitive ability and screen for dementia.
Those participants who regularly consumed curry scored on an average much higher on the examination than those who reported never or rarely eating curry.
This is the first study to show this connection between curry and cognitive ability. The authors hope that more studies will follow that address curry, and more specifically curcumin, as a possible treatment for Alzheimer's.
Posted by Dr. Christina Gutierrez on November 1, 2006 04:58 PM
