http://morelife.org/references/full_papers/12392789.pdf

The role of polyunsaturated fatty acids in restoring the aging neuronal membrane

The function of sleep is one of the most persistent and perplexing mysteries in biology. Many theories have been proposed to explain why we sleep, but most account for only a portion of sleep behavior and very few enjoy strong experimental support. A critical review of current findings leads to the following conclusions. Sleep is for the brain rather than the body, and the neural process most impacted by sleep is cognition. Sleep may influence cognition in many ways, including the removal of a toxic byproduct of wakefulness, or the restoration of neural substrates needed for mental processes. The evidence for these possibilities, however, is weak or equivocal. On the other hand, converging lines of evidence support the hypothesis that sleep promotes brain plasticity.

The mystery of sleep function: current perspectives and future directions.

Increased apoptosis in rat brain after rapid eye movement sleep loss

Age-related changes in nutritional status can play an important role in brain functioning. Specific nutrient deficiencies in the elderly may exacerbate pathological processes in the brain. Consequently, the potential of nutritional intervention to prevent or delay cognitive impairment and the development of dementia is an important topic. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial has been performed in 25 elderly subjects (86 ± 6 years, 20 females, 5 males) with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). These subjects were randomly assigned to supplement their diet with either an oily emulsion of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)-phospholipids containing melatonin and tryptophan (11 subjects) or a placebo (14-matched subjects) for 12 weeks. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the dietary supplement on cognition, by the assessment at the start and after 12 weeks of: (1) Orientation and other cognitive functions: Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE); (2) Short-term memory: digit, ve...

Effects of a diet integration with an oily emulsion of DHA-phospholipids containing melatonin and tryptophan in elderly patients suffering from mild cognitive impairment.

R. Gangabhagirathi

Papers

Rapid eye movement sleep deprivation decreases membrane fluidity in the rat brain