It turns out that Japanese 'wasabi' improves memory

A study by Tohoku University and others has revealed that wasabi, an essential condiment for Japanese cuisine such as soba and sashimi, improves memory function in the elderly. Researchers say this is the first proof that wasabi's active ingredients are beneficial for memory function in older adults.

Nutrients | Free Full-Text | Benefits of Wasabi Supplements with 6-MSITC (6-Methylsulfinyl Hexyl Isothiocyanate) on Memory Functioning in Healthy Adults Aged 60 Years and Older: Evidence from a Double-Blinded Randomized Controlled Trial

Studies have demonstrated that spices and herbs have health benefits; for example, consumption of ginger and garlic is known to improve cognitive function in older people with and without dementia. Masu.

In this study, Associate Professor Rui Nonaka of Tohoku University's Smart Aging College and his colleagues found that the intake of 6-methylsulfinylhexyl isothiocyanate (6-MSITC), extracted from wasabi's unique spiciness, may improve cognitive function in elderly people. We conducted a double-blind, randomized controlled trial to examine the effects on

The study participants were 72 healthy elderly people who were recruited through advertisements in local newspapers in Sendai. The gender of the participants was 19 men and 53 women, and their ages ranged from 60 to 80 years, with an average age of 65.43 years. In addition to age, the applicant must be a native speaker of Japanese and be right-handed, have no food allergies, not take any medications that affect cognitive function, and have no history of mental disorder, diabetes, cranial nerve disease, or heart disease. Conditions were set: participants had to consume less than three beers of alcohol per day, and no signs of cognitive decline or depression were found in pre-tests.

The researchers first randomly divided participants into two groups and administered either a capsule containing 100 mg of wasabi extract powder containing 0.8 mg of 6-MSITC or one capsule of a placebo 12 times a day before bed. I took it for a week.

A series of cognitive tests conducted by a psychological examiner who was blinded to the research content and which group the participants were in, assessed processing speed, attention, short-term memory, working memory, episodic memory, executive function, and visual-spatial memory. ability was measured.

The results showed that people who took wasabi supplements daily performed better on tests of working memory and episodic memory. Episodic memory is memory about events that you have experienced. The tests included a logical memory test and a test to remember the faces and names of people who often have problems with forgetfulness, and in both cases, those who took wasabi had better results.

In contrast, people in the control group who took a placebo showed no improvement in cognitive function on any of the tests. Additionally, there were no significant differences between the two groups in cognitive functions other than working memory and episodic memory.

6-MSITC contained in wasabi is known to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory functions, and this action suppresses inflammation in the hippocampus, which is important for memory performance, and reduces oxidants and protects it from damage. Researchers believe that this may improve cognitive function.

In a paper published in the medical journal Nutrients, researchers wrote, ``This study provides the first scientific evidence that 6-MSITC can enhance working memory and episodic memory in older adults.'' ” he said.