Olive oil and dementia(part 2)

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Where did the story come from?The research was carried out by Dr Jason Pitt and colleagues from the Northwestern University, the University of Pennsylvania, Western Illinois University and Rutgers University in the US and the Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro in Brazil.

While the authors provide grant numbers for those that support their research, it is unclear what funding organisations provided these.

The study was published in the peer-reviewed medical journal Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology.



What kind of scientific study was this?Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, affecting around 420,000 people in the UK. It is a degenerative brain disorder. The exact causes aren’t well understood, but plagues and tangles made of proteins form around brain cells, eventually leading to their damage and death. This causes a range of symptoms that can include confusion, mood swings, poor memory and forgetfulness and more severe symptoms such as delusions or obsessive behaviour.

Research has demonstrated that certain fibres called Aß-derived diffusible ligands (ADDLs) in the brain are the main chemicals responsible for the initiation of Alzheimer’s disease. In this laboratory study, researchers explored the neuroprotective properties of a chemical called oleocanthal, which is derived from olive oil.

The researchers prepared ADDLs in the laboratory and investigated the effects of various concentrations of oleocanthal on these molecules. They assessed the effect of this extract on the primary molecules (monomers) that make up the ADDLs and also on the formed ADDLs (which are chains of monomers).

They also explored the effects of oleocanthal on nerve cells from the hippocampus, an area in the brain that plays an important role in memory and learning. The hippocampus is one of the areas in the brain affected by Alzheimer’s disease. Previous research has established that ADDLs of a certain size can bind at the synapses (junctions between neurones in the brain) The loss of synaptic function that results is a crucial first step in the development of Alzheimer’s disease.



What were the results of the study?The study found that in the presence of the chemical oleocanthal, the ADDLs became more immunoreactive (i.e. more likely to provoke an immune response) and less soluble (which may lead to a decrease in toxicity).

When the chemical was applied to the brain cells, ADDLs formed in the presence of oleocanthal were less likely to bind to the synapses and this was accompanied by reduced deterioration of these cells.



What interpretations did the researchers draw from these results?The researchers say their results suggest that oleocanthal is capable of altering the chemicals implicated in Alzheimer’s disease and can also protect against the effects of these compounds on synapses in the brain. They say that this suggests oleocanthal may be a key compound in the development of treatments for Alzheimer’s disease.



What does the NHS Knowledge Service make of this study?Previous research has indicated that phenols (a group of chemical compounds) such as oleocanthal may have neuroprotective properties, and this laboratory study has uncovered some of the complex reactions that may explain these effects.

More research is needed to establish exactly how it protects nerve cells, (for example, whether it actually reduces binding at the synapses or whether the protective effect is due to the changes in the structure of ADDLs that it causes).

The researchers report that, overall, their findings are consistent with other studies that have investigated phenolic compounds such as oleocanthal and demonstrated protective effects. This extract from olive oil and other similar molecules may have a role to play in future development of drugs for Alzheimer’s disease, but these will require further research and development. The drug development process is a long one, which starts with studies such as these in the laboratory and later move through animal testing to safety and efficacy studies in humans.

While the chemical being tested here - oleocanthal – is an extract from olive oil it has not been tested in humans with Alzheimer’s yet. Also, whether these particular effects will be derived from eating olive oil itself is not clear from these findings. Olive oil is likely to be part of a traditional Mediterranean diet, which is also high in vegetables, fruits and fish, and while there is some evidence that a Mediterranean diet reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s disease it is not clear what specific role olive oil has to play in these benefits. Only further studies can answer these questions.