An experimental study by American and Italian scientists showed that mice with Down syndrome who were given extra virgin olive oil experienced significant improvements in learning and spatial memory. Furthermore, as reported in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, these mice also showed improved synaptic function.
Down syndrome occurs in one case in every 800 births worldwide. Today, most people with this syndrome live much longer than they did 20–30 years ago: while in the 1980s and 1990s, the average life expectancy was 40 to 45 years, it now reaches 60 years. Because of this change, people with Down syndrome experience a significant burden of Alzheimer's disease—it is known that by age 40, 50 percent of people with Down syndrome suffer from significant learning and memory impairments associated with the brain changes typical of Alzheimer's disease.
Moreover, data shows that dietary habits are functionally linked to brain health and the risk of developing dementia. For example, following a Mediterranean diet has been recognized as an important preventative measure, helping to delay age-related cognitive decline and the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. Olive oil is a key component of this diet, reducing the risk of death from neurodegenerative diseases by 29 percent. However, its effectiveness in slowing neurodegenerative processes in Down syndrome is unknown.
A research team led by Domenico Praticò of Temple University studied the potential of supplementing the diet of mice with Down syndrome with extra virgin olive oil to prevent cognitive decline and synaptic dysfunction. The mice received the oil for five months along with their regular food at a dose of 50 milligrams per kilogram per day. The control group received only the food.
To determine whether chronic olive oil consumption affects memory and learning, mice were tested in a water maze. Mice given olive oil demonstrated significantly reduced time to reach the platform area and a significant increase in the number of entries into the platform quadrant. Electrophysiological studies on freshly prepared hippocampal samples revealed increased postsynaptic excitatory potentials in the Schaffer collaterals, which are considered integral to memory formation in the hippocampus.
Analysis of cytokines, cells, and proteins in the cerebral cortex showed that chronic consumption of extra virgin olive oil decreased levels of CD40, interleukin 12p70, and increased levels of interferon-inducible T cells, interleukins 1ra, 28, 6, 5, and tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily member 18.
According to the study's authors, introducing extra virgin olive oil into the diet of people with Down syndrome may also improve learning and memory, as well as synaptic function. Further studies should test the effectiveness of this method in a clinical setting.
We previously reported that gonadotropin-releasing hormone injections also improve cognitive performance in people with Down syndrome.
