Dementia is a condition that affects many older adults aged 65 years and older but is increasingly being diagnosed in much younger people. It is a tragic disease as the personality of the sufferer changes, they struggle to identify close family members, and there is a profoundly sad loss of dignity as the disease progresses. Medical researchers are very active in undertaking experiments to find better ways of early diagnosis and treating patients more effectively. We look at the more recent research in this regard.
Response: We started many years ago by studying some natural and synthetic molecules that were able to counteract the early stages of this disease. With a view to early prevention, we wondered if these molecules could be routinely taken with the diet or dietary supplements. So our studies focused on the search for bioactive molecules present in food and edible plants.
Hops are very rich in polyphenolic compounds, and for this reason it is historically used for the production of beer, but also for the preparation of herbal teas and infusions, and its uses in traditional medicine are known. In recent years we have also collected interesting results on Coffee, Sage, Radix Imperatoriae, Cocoa and Cinnamon extracts.
