Brain Aging and Nutrition

In the “Brain Aging and Nutrition” symposium at the 2010 10th Scientific Meeting of the Japanese Society of Anti-Aging Medicine, three experts were invited to report recent findings on maintenance of brain health. Speaking on “The association of postural instability with brain atrophy/cognitive impairment”, Dr. Michiya Igase (Department of Geriatric Medicine & Neurology, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine) described the importance of Anti-Aging examination for early discovery and early treatment of decreased cognitive function according to an Anti-Aging examination, particularly stressing on the importance of preventing frailty in the elderly. Dr. Toru Mizoguchi (Shinjuku Mizoguchi Clinic), speaking on “Improved brain function and nutrition”, discussed how low intake of glucose, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals leads to metabolic abnormalities in the brain and low production of neurotransmitters, which can cause depression and many other psychiatric illnesses not only in the elderly, but in middle age too. In “The brain prefers ketones to carbohydrates as an energy source”, Dr. Yoichi Ogushi (Department of Medical Informatics, Tokai University School of Medicine) presented data showing that a ketotic diet, also known as a low-carbohydrate diet (Atkins' or Bernstein's diet), is safe, and, moreover, that ketones are used as an energy source by the brain. This work suggested that advanced glycosylation end product is a risk factor for Alzheimer's and Perkinson's disease, and that glucose is only utilized after keton bodies by the brain. This notion in turn raises the possibility that a ketotic diet may prevent or slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease.Anti-Aging measures above mentioned may play crucial roles in preventing brain atrophy, cognitive impairment, and depression which are closely related to the aging process. Stable energy supply and adequate nutritional distribution to neurons in the brain are keys to maintain brain function through neuronal survival and biosynthesis of neurotransmitters.