Helps in the Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease
Dementia has many forms, one of which is Alzheimer’s disease. The treatments available today focus on reducing symptoms, but there is still no cure for Alzheimer’s. Thus, in the meantime, most treatments are for preventing the disease from occurring.
Several studies show that curcumin in turmeric can cross the blood-brain barrier. This is a system where the blood vessels extend vessels in the central nervous system, allowing them to tightly regulate the movement of cells, molecules, and ions between the brain and the blood. The ability of curcumin to cross the specific barrier helps prevent oxidative and inflammation damage, which slows down the propagation of Alzheimer’s disease. Moreover, turmeric clears the protein tangles or amyloid plaques that build up between nerve cells in the brain.
As mentioned earlier, turmeric can increase brain-derived neurotrophic factors, potentially protecting the brain against degenerative diseases. By increasing the levels of BDNF in the spinal cord and brain, turmeric helps keep the neurons or nerve cells healthier. It regulates the communication between the neurons, which is essential for memory and learning. Lowering BDNF levels can lead to brain degeneration, a feature of Alzheimer’s disease.
