Turmeric Seasons Brain Science
By Paddy Kamen
Brain science is becoming deliciously spicy. Turmeric, long cherished as a culinary seasoning in India, Persia, Malaysia and Thailand, has yielded an amazing new compound that helps to protect and regenerate brain cells after the devastating effects of stroke.
The Neurology Laboratory at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, was the scene of this remarkable discovery, and Paul A. Lapchak, Ph.D. was the study’s lead investigator. Lapchak is a brain science researcher with 12 years experience in the field of strokes. Prior to that he worked on Alzheimer and Parkinson’s diseases.
In an interview with Better Brain Better Life, Lapchak revealed: “We knew that curcumin, the chemical component of turmeric, has shown an effect in stroke research. Our concern is that it takes a long time to get into the brain and doesn’t reach its target in high concentrations. Time is of the essence with stroke treatment and we needed to find a way to get the high-dose benefits of curcumin into the brain quickly.”
Read more about this exciting research in my book: Better Brain Better Life: Tips and Tales from the Tantalizing World of Brain Science.
