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Article: Nutritional support for healthy brain function.(Therapeutic Nutrition)
- Article from:
- Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients
- Article date:
- August 1, 2005
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2005 The Townsend Letter Group. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Introduction
The fundamental cause of nearly every cognitive and neurodegenerative disorder remains unknown, but all forms of cognitive decline demonstrate both neuronal and cerebrovascular abnormalities. Current thinking has focused on oxidative damage by free radicals, the same mechanism accused of underlying cardiovascular disease and many cancers. (1-4) If indeed this process is operative, and all indications are that it is, then it is all the more likely to damage neural tissue since the brain and nerves utilize large amounts of oxygen while exhibiting reduced free radical scavenging capabilities over time. (5-8) Another, less direct mechanism has recently ...