- Flavanol-rich foods like dark chocolate and berries may enhance memory by aligning stress hormone activity with the brain’s optimal window for forming long-term memories, according to research from Japan’s Shibaura Institute of Technology.
- Mice given flavanols one hour before learning tasks showed about a 30 percent improvement in recognizing new objects, linked to a surge of noradrenaline in the hippocampus and other alertness-related brain regions.
- The mechanism involves the brain’s “alarm system,” the locus coeruleus, which releases noradrenaline to heighten attention and prioritize information for storage when activated by flavanols.
- Researchers believe the effect comes from sensory signaling, not absorption, as the bitter taste of flavanols may trigger gut-to-brain nerve pathways that rapidly stimulate the brainstem and enhance memory processing.
- While promising, the findings are preliminary—the doses were higher than typical human intake and the long-term safety and timing effects need confirmation in human studies before practical recommendations can be made.
https://nexusnewsfeed.com/article/food-cooking/dark-chocolate-and-berries-can-sharpen-memory-if-you-eat-them-at-the-right-time-study-finds/
Post Views: 0
