Extra Virgin Olive Oil May Preserve Cognitive Function in Down Syndrome

Newswise — Researchers working with the Alzheimer’s Center at Temple (ACT) recently investigated the effect of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) on brain health and memory to determine if consumption of extra virgin olive oil, the main component of the Mediterranean diet, can delay cognitive decline in people with Down Syndrome (DS). DS is the most common genetically induced form of physical and intellectual disability, and while modern medical advances have helped to prolong life expectancy from around 40 years to an average of 60, the development of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in DS patients has become more common than ever before. Individuals with Down syndrome develop age dependent cognitive decline and synaptic dysfunction. Studies have shown that by the age of 40, about 50% of people with DS manifest significant learning and memory problems which are associated with the presence of Alzheimer’s-like impairment.

The paper, "Extra virgin olive oil beneficial effects on memory, synaptic function, and neuroinflammation in a mouse model of Down syndrome,” describes the results of the study in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease (JAD) Volume 102, issue 1 (final publication on October 22, 2024). An early online version of this paper detailing the findings has been published online ahead of print here: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/13872877241283675.

Using a mouse model of DS, researchers administered EVOO for 5 months in their diet, after which they were tested for learning and memory impairment. Synaptic function was then measured, and brain tissues were assessed for inflammatory biomarkers. Researchers found that mice receiving EVOO had a significant improvement in learning and spatial memory. Additionally, treated mice had an improvement in synaptic function, and EVOO decreased levels of several inflammatory biomarkers. 

“Administration of EVOO to a mouse model of Down syndrome has beneficial effects on memory impairments, synaptic function deficits and neuroinflammation,” says senior author Domenico Praticò, MD, the Scott Richards North Star Foundation Chair for Alzheimer’s Research, Professor of Neural Sciences and Founding Director of the Alzheimer's Center at Temple (ACT), at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University (LKSOM). “Our findings provide additional support for the potential therapeutic effects of EVOO also in individuals with Down syndrome.” 

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