Polyphenols are a type of compounds that are naturally present in foods and beverages of vegetable origin and that our intestinal microbiota transforms into more bioavailable compounds. Now, a new investigation from the Higher Council for Scientific Research (CSIC), led by scientists from the Cajal Institute (IC-CSIC) and the Food Science Research Institute (CIAL-CSIC-UAM) indicates that dietary polyphenols they could have beneficial effects on the brain by directly modulating the electrical activity of neurons.
This neuroprotective effect opens the door to its use to develop treatments to combat neurodegenerative pathologies such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s or cerebrovascular accidents. The results of the study associate the consumption of polyphenols in the diet with a lower incidence of chronic-degenerative diseases and have just been published in the journal Cerebral Cortex.
A compound from the polyphenol family is protocatechuic acid, which is found in a wide variety of foods, especially fruits and vegetables. Its beneficial effects are known and have been tested in the laboratory, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, immunoregulatory, as well as neuroprotective benefits.
Effects of diet on the electrical activity of the brain
It was thought that these effects were mediated by an action in the vascular system, regulating the supply of blood and nutrients, or directly on the neural cells and their metabolic pathways. Both pathways are a direct reflection of the electrical activity of neurons, whose response to stimuli during the processing of information from abroad can be modulated in a sustained way up or down by neuromodulatory substances, making the person more or less sensitive. both to natural stimuli and to conditions that result in damage or dysfunction. These substances are released from other brain cells, or from the bloodstream itself, coming from the diet, for example.
“Until now, it was unknown whether dietary polyphenols could exert beneficial effects by directly modulating the electrical activity of neurons. What has been verified in this study is that protocatechuic acid decreases the electrical response capacity of neurons, that is, they become more silent”, explains Óscar Herreras, researcher at the IC-CSIC. “This – adds the scientist – opens up new possibilities to explain and even treat some neurodegenerative diseases since, for example, the decrease in electrical activity and, therefore, in the energy consumption of neurons, will decrease the production of free radicals and other agents pro-inflammatory; hence the neuroprotective effect”.
The researchers acknowledge that much remains to be investigated, such as knowing how easily polyphenols penetrate the brain and whether it would be possible to direct this protective action to specific areas where it is most needed. They also hope that these findings will prompt more determined action to investigate the effect that dietary components have directly on the electrical activity of the brain, the primary cause of molecular and gene activation of neurons and other brain cells, on the one hand, and of behavior and its dysfunctions, on the other.
Source: Higher Council for Scientific Research (CSIC)
