Forgetful?

Citation

(2008), "Forgetful?", Nutrition & Food Science, Vol. 38 No. 6. https://doi.org/10.1108/nfs.2008.01738fab.029

Forgetful?

Article Type: Food facts June 2008 From: Nutrition & Food Science, Volume 38, Issue 6.

If you are one of the 79 per cent of Brits who do not get the full 8 h sleep each night, then chances are your memory is not as good as it should be. At least, that is what scientists from the University of Geneva claim. In their study the researchers discovered people who get a decent night's sleep perform better in terms of brain and memory functions than those who have less sleep or just a nap. Sleep, say the researchers, may help the brain consolidate new experiences and learning as well as boost memory. Apparently, when you sleep, connections between nerve cells in the brain are strengthened and that helps you learn new things more easily and improves the memory. But thanks to stress, financial problems, noisy neighbours, long working hours and bringing up children, the majority of people in this country just do not get the 8 h a night they need.

However, if something's keeping you from getting a good night's sleep, there are other ways to boost your brain and memory. For instance, French scientists, have discovered that eating a diet rich in fish, fruits, vegetables and omega-3-rich oils could significantly reduce your chances of developing memory problems. The researchers examined the diets of more than 8,000 people over the age of 65, and found that those who had a regular intake of omega-3 oils were 60per cent less likely to develop dementia than others who did not get much omega-3 oil in their diets. The same study also discovered that people without the ApoE4 gene (apolipoprotein E4 – the gene that increases the risk of Alzheimer's) who ate fish at least once a week were 35 per cent less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease and 40 per cent less likely to develop dementia.

One of the main types of omega-3 fatty acids found in fish is eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are crucial for maintaining the correct structure of every cell membrane in the body, and are crucial for efficient cell messaging in the brain. Without enough of them, communications between our cells stop working correctly. Indeed, the degeneration of cell messaging is a primary symptom of dementia.

Research presented at the Forum of European Neuroscience, Geneva July 2008.