Oleocanthal, a compound that occurs naturally in extra-virgin olive oil, can alter the structure of toxic proteins in the brain that contribute to Alzheimer’s disease.
A study by researchers at Northwestern University and the Monell Chemical Senses Center found that the change inhibits the ability of the toxic proteins, called ADDLs, to damage nerves in the brain.
“Binding of ADDLs to nerve synapses is thought to be a crucial first step in Alzheimer’s disease,” study co-leader William L. Klein, professor of neurobiology and physiology in Northwestern’s Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, said in a statement. “Oleocanthal alters ADDL structure in a way that deters the protein from binding to synapses.
“Our findings may help identify effective preventative measures and lead to improved therapeutics in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease,” added co-researcher Paul A.S. Breslin, a sensory psychobiologist at the Monell Center.
Synapses allow nerve cells to send information to each other. ADDLs bind to neural synapses in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients and interrupt the function of nerve cells. Eventually, cells die, which leads to memory loss.
The researchers found that olive oil compound changed the structure of ADDLs by increasing their size and affected their ability to bind to synapses of hippocampal neurons.
The hippocampus, a part of the brain involved in memory and learning, is one of the first areas affected by Alzheimer’s disease. The study discovered that oleocanthal also protected synapses from damage caused by ADDLs. In addition, oleocanthal was found to increase the effectiveness of antibodies, which can be used to bind and attack ADDLs, increasing the possibility of creating effective therapies based on antibodies.
© 2009 Newsmax. All rights reserved.
