Curcumin Improves Memory and Biomarkers of Neurodegeneration

Written by Angeline A. De Leon, Staff Writer. Theracurmin, a highly absorptive curcumin dispersed with colloidal nanoparticles, significantly improved memory performance and decreased the neuropathological accumulation of amyloid and tau in the brain amygdala and hypothalamus of the study participants.

Epidemiological studies on curcumin confirm the dynamic, prophylactic characteristics of the herbal compound whose applications have been used to treat conditions ranging from cancer to arthritis ¹. In addition to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, curcumin is thought to also possess powerful neuroprotective effects ². Laboratory and animal studies report a potential impact of curcumin on the amyloid plaques and tau protein formations which are known to contribute to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease ^2,3. For example, researchers suggest a relationship between dietary intake of curry and improved cognitive performance in older adults ⁴. Human trials, however, have failed to replicate the direct link between curcumin intake and brain health, potentially because the majority of investigations have tested less bioavailable forms of curcumin ⁵. In a study involving cognitive testing in curcumin-treated individuals, investigators demonstrated that the use of a bioavailable form of curcumin was effective in significantly improving working memory and mood in subjects ⁶. In a 2017 study ⁷ published by the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry involving the first long-term investigation of a bioavailable form of curcumin, the potential impact of a highly absorbable form of curcumin, called Theracurmin, ⁸ was examined in relation to cognitive performance and markers of neurodegeneration (amyloid plaques and tau tangles) in a group of non-demented adults.

A total of 40 non-demented middle-aged and older adult subjects (aged 51-84 years) participated in a randomized, double-blind, parallel-design trial, where they were randomized to ingest either 180 mg of a bioavailable curcumin (Theracurmin) or a matching placebo daily for 18 months. Pre- and post-intervention, subjects completed a series of neuropsychological measures to evaluate verbal and visual memory (Buschke Selective Reminding Test, SRT; Brief Visual Memory Test-Revised, BVMT-R) and attention (Trail Making A). Using an original imaging technique developed by the research group, 2-(1-¹ethylidene) malononitrile positron   emission tomography (FDDNP-PET), in vivo images of brain plaques and tangles were measured in several brain regions associated with cognitive processing.

For the curcumin group, relative to placebo, significant improvements were observed on SRT Consistent Long-Term Retrieval SRT (Cohen’s d = 0.63, p = 0.002), SRT Total (Cohen’s d = 0.53, p = 0.002), BVMT-R Recall (Cohen’s d = 0.50, p = 0.01), BVMT-R Delay (Cohen’s d = 0.51, p = 0.006), and Trail Making A (Cohen’s d = 0.96, p < 0.0001). FDDNP binding was also found to have significantly decreased for the curcumin group (Cohen’s d = -0.41, p = 0.04) vs. placebo (Cohen’s d = 0.08, p = 0.60) in the amygdala (between-group Cohen’s d = 0.48, p = 0.07).

Based on study findings, researchers report that daily supplementation with a bioavailable form of curcumin yields significant benefits for memory and attention in non-demented adults. Moreover, such improvements in cognitive performance appear to also be reflected in decreased plaque and tangle accumulation in regions of the brain associated with mood and memory (amygdala). The next step in this area of research would involve replicating findings in an older adult group with early signs of dementia.

Source: Small GW, Siddarth P, Li Z, et al. Memory and brain amyloid and tau effects of a bioavailable form of curcumin in non-demented adults: A double-blind, placebo-controlled 18-month trial. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2017. DOI: 10.1016/j.jagp.2017.10.010.

© 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jagp.2017.10.010

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Posted February 14, 2018.

Angeline A. De Leon, MA, graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2010, completing a bachelor’s degree in psychology, with a concentration in neuroscience. She received her master’s degree from The Ohio State University in 2013, where she studied clinical neuroscience within an integrative health program. Her specialized area of research involves the complementary use of neuroimaging and neuropsychology-based methodologies to examine how lifestyle factors, such as physical activity and meditation, can influence brain plasticity and enhance overall connectivity.

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