A new study from the University of Reading shows that drinking champagne may help in boosting the memory, reports Medical Xpress.
Loss of memory often comes with ageing when the functions of certain parts of the brain are less capable of storage, leading to conditions such as dementia. In a new study, researchers may have found a solution to the ageing brain. Drinking one to three glasses of champagne a week can help improve spatial memory, a part of memory where environmental information is recorded, which can help in future navigation.
Researchers found two phenolic compounds, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, which are found in champagne along with white grape Chardonnay. These compounds play a very important role in maintaining the efficiency of memory storage in the brain.
"These exciting results illustrate for the first time that the moderate consumption of champagne has the potential to influence cognitive functioning, such as memory," said professor Jeremy Spencer, Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, University of Reading. "Such observations have previously been reported with red wine, through the actions of flavonoids contained within it."
The compounds found in champagne were found to charge the proteins linked to effective storage of memories in the brain. These proteins diminish with old age leading to poor memory and even dementia. But champagne can slow down the process by charging these proteins and keeping the brain's memory intact.
Although previous studies have linked flavonoid content drinks such as red wine as influencing the brain, Spencer saidthat even champagne is also "capable of influencing brain function through the actions of smaller phenolic compounds, previously thought to lack biological activity."
In a similar study from the University of Reading, two glasses of champagne a day were found to improve blood circulation and prevent the risks of suffering cardiovascular disease and strokes.
According to Spencer, moderate amount of alcohol consumption was found beneficiary for the brain and hence supports "responsible approach to alcohol consumption"
Another study researcher, Dr. David Vauzour said the findings give scope for further research in the field.
"This has been achieved successfully with other polyphenol-rich foods, such as blueberry and cocoa, and we predict similar outcomes for moderate Champagne intake on cognition in humans," he said.
The findings of the study are published in Antioxidants and Redox Signalling.
