Article Summary 13: Natural Compound In Extra-virgin Olive Oil -- Oleocanthal -- May Help Prevent, Treat Alzheimer's

Natural Compound In Extra-virgin Olive Oil -- Oleocanthal -- May Help Prevent, Treat Alzheimer's. Science Daily [Internet]. 2009 Sept 29 [cited 2009 Sept 29]. Available from: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090929133123.htm

In 1998, a team of scientists at Northwestern University discovered that Alzheimer’s disease is caused by highly toxic proteins called ADDLs. When these neurotoxic proteins bind within neural synapses – the pathways that allow messages to flow between nerve cells in the brain – their interactions disrupt nerve cell function and lead to memory loss and cell death.

However, new research by this same team shows that a compound that can be readily found in an everyday food product may help prevent or treat this terrible disease. This compound is called oleocanthal, and is naturally found in extra virgin olive oil. The team has discovered that oleocanthal can actually alter the structure of neurotoxic proteins like ADDLs. Altering the structures of these proteins makes them unable to interact within the brain’s neural synapses.

This is not the fist time olive oil has made its debut into health studies, though. In fact, scientists have proven that olive oil contains an anti-inflammatory property similar to that of ibuprophen.

In the future, research related to oleocanthal may identify ways to prevent Alzheimer’s disease, or develop more effective ways to treat it. Scientists must first identify the specific ways in which oleocanthal changes the structure of ADDLs, though.