Plant compounds may boost brain function in older adults, study says

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-11/uog-pcm112116.php

Public Release: 21-Nov-2016
Plant compounds may boost brain function in older adults, study says
University of Georgia

The same compounds that give plants and vegetables their vibrant colors might be able to bolster brain functioning in older adults, according to a recent study from the University of Georgia. The research from the department of psychology is the first to use fMRI technology to investigate how levels of those compounds affect brain activity and showed that study participants with lower levels had to rely on more brain power to complete memory-oriented tasks.

People get these compounds, known as carotenoids, from their diets, and two of them--lutein and zeaxanthin--have been shown in previous research to bolster eye and cognitive health in older adults.

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