Curry DOES make you happy – and it protects against Alzheimer’s too
FOR those who feel guilty about indulging in a curry every once in a while, don't fear because there's some good news.
The ingredient that gives Indian curry its bright colour actually improves memory and mood in people with mild age-related memory loss - but only if you have it daily.
A study conducted by UCLA researchers suggests curcumin can have a positive impact on Alzheimer's disease sufferers.
Dr Gary Small, director of geriatric psychiatry at UCLA's Longevity Centre said: "Exactly how curcumin exerts its effects is not certain, but it may be due to its ability to reduce brain inflammation, which has been linked to both Alzheimer's disease and major depression."
It follows a test on 40 adults between the ages of 50 and 90 years who suffered mild memory loss.
Each person was given a placebo or 90 milligrams of curcumin twice a day for 18 months, with tests every six months to monitor blood levels.
Thirty volunteers also underwent scans to find out the levels of amyloid and tau in their brains - key hallmarks of Alzheimer's.
After 18 months it was revealed those who took curcumin experienced significant improvements in their memory and attention abilities - and those who received placebo did not.
There was a 28 per cent improvement in memory tests, with mild improvements in mood also.
The scans showed significantly less amyloid and tau signals in two parts of the brain, compared with those who took placebos.
The areas affected control several memory and emotional functions.
However, four people taking curcumin, and two taking placebos, experienced abdominal pain and nausea.
It has set the ball rolling with future studies including a larger number of people.
It will include some people with mild depression to find out antidepressant effects.
The larger sample also would allow them to analyze whether curcumin's memory-enhancing effects vary according to people's genetic risk for Alzheimer's, their age or the extent of their cognitive problems.
"These results suggest that taking this relatively safe form of curcumin could provide meaningful cognitive benefits over the years," said Small, UCLA's Parlow–Solomon Professor on Aging.