A team of scientists from the Georgetown University Medical Center (USA) has presented an interesting study on the effects of resveratrol , a natural compound present in red wine, raspberries, blueberries or dark chocolate, on Alzheimer’s disease.
Experts have found that this natural phenol appears to restore the integrity of the blood-brain barrier, decreasing the ability of harmful immune molecules to infiltrate from the body into brain tissues.
In their experiment, the researchers examined specific cerebrospinal fluid molecules taken from a group of participants with Alzheimer’s. Of all the participants, 19 of them received a placebo and the remaining 19 became part of a daily treatment with resveratrol, with an amount equivalent to what we can find in about 1,000 bottles of red wine.
After 12 months, the patients who had been treated with the compound had a 50% reduction in the levels of metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) in the cerebrospinal fluid . Taking into account that high levels of MMP-9 cause a breakdown of the blood-brain barrier, and that proteins and molecules enter it, resveratrol acted as a supporter of this barrier. Thus, the reduction in neuronal inflammation decreased the cognitive deterioration of the participants , compared to the group that was taking the placebo.
“ These new findings are very interesting , as they increase our understanding of how resveratrol may be clinically beneficial for people with Alzheimer’s disease. In particular, they point to the important role of inflammation in disease and the powerful anti-inflammatory effects of resveratrol, ”says Scott Turner, leader of the study.
