Grade: mixed
Carbohydrates come in simple and complex form. Complex carbs are generally ok (e.g. most vegetables). Simple carbs (e.g. white rice, corn chips, pretzels) are quickly converted into sugar which is problematic.
For a more in depth article on carbs and glucose try this page from the American Diabetes Association.
Grade: F
Sugar should be avoided in the diet, especially added sugar. Sugar has 61 different names when listed as a food ingredient. For the complete list of names and a host of interesting facts about sugar visit Sugar Science: The Unsweetened Truth.
Alzheimer’s: Sugar increases insulin levels, which if chronically elevated leads to insulin resistance which is highly correlated with Alzheimer’s.
For a more in depth description of the effects on sugar on the brain see How Sugar and Insulin Damage the Brain.
...researchers concluded that “very low carbohydrate consumption, even in the short term, can improve memory function in older adults with increased risk for Alzheimer's disease.”
When Quinolinic acid increases to pathological levels it becomes an exitotoxin that over-activates NMDA receptors. This causes a rapid inflow of calcium into the neuron and the resulting chaos leads to mitochondrial dysfunction, ATP exhaustion, free radical formation, oxidative damage, and cell death signaling.
The NAD/Sirtuin combination influences a wide range of cellular processes such as aging, rRNA transcription, mitochondrial biogenesis, apoptosis, inflammation, stress resistance, and insulin sensitivity.
Those participants in the study with the lowest levels of vitamin D in their blood had a substantially higher risk of developing Alzheimer's and all other forms of dementia.
The positive effects of exercise, sleep, and moderate alcohol consumption on our brains and on cognition is real and measurable. The exact mechanisms for these positive effects is less clear, but the connection to the glymphatic system gives us at least some explanation for why they work.
Omega-3 fatty acids are the basis of compounds that regulate inflammation, protect neurons, and promote neurite growth. Omega-6 fatty acids promote inflammation before they eventually get around to regulating inflammation.
Compared to placebo, the curcumin group showed significant improvement for primary verbal memory, primary visual memory and measure of attention. PET scans showed strong evidence that amyloid beta deposits and tau tangles in the amygdala declined significantly in the curcumin group. Furthermore, deposits and tangles in the hypothalmus of the placebo group showed a significant increase after 18 months, but the curcumin group was spared this unfortunate result.
Chronic and even acute inflammation may be responsible for dementia. A look at the research certainly points towards a connection.