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Dr Laure Martinat (Anesthesiologist-resuscitator)
According to a new study, there is a link between inflammation in the body, cognition and dementia. How to prevent it? The answers of Dr Laure Martinat, doctor and expert in phyto aromatherapy, micronutrition and acupuncture.
A neurodegenerative disease, Alzheimer’s disease affects millions of people around the world and studies are multiplying to better understand the causes of its development.
According to a new English study, there is indeed a link between inflammation and the development of Alzheimer’s disease.
The increased presence of biomarkers of inflammation in Alzheimer’s
For this study, the English researchers relied on data from the UK Biobank, which brings together the health data of 500,000 people. The cohort included both men and women, recruited between 2006 and 2010 and were between 40 and 69 years old at the time.
They looked at some blood biomarkers indicative of inflammation and how these correlated with various cognitive tasks. Result: the highest inflammatory markers linked to a 35% increased risk of dementia.
Tests to complete their study
Along with these biological results, the volunteers were asked to take part in a series of cognitive tests, designed to test different brain functions, such as memory and reaction time. For reaction time, individuals were asked to press a button as soon as they saw two matching cards appear on a screen.
For memory, they were asked to remember the location of pairs of matched cards. Logical and reasoning questions were also asked to test their “fluid intelligence”. At the end of these tests, the scientists found a small, but statistically significant association between higher levels of these biomarkers, poorer cognitive performance and a higher risk, in the long term, of dementia.
The point of view of Dr Laure Martinat, member of the Doctissimo expert committee
“Numerous observational studies show an association between chronic low-noise inflammation and cognitive decline or dementia. Even if we cannot establish a causal link, this clearly shows that chronic inflammation is harmful to our body and our brain. To combat these effects, it is possible to adopt a Mediterranean diet type diet, with a limitation of red meat, ultra-processed foods with additives and preservatives in favor of fruits and vegetables, whole grains and a little fish and white meat. The positive point in all this is twofold: it is both easy to reduce inflammation in your body by adopting this type of diet and in addition, it is never too late to start and benefit from these benefits, even after several years of a lower quality diet..
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