Faced with the alarming increase in cognitive disorders around the world, researchers scrutinize our diet in search of unsuspected allies. A new study reveals that a discreet trace element, copper, could play a crucial role in preserving our mental capacities after 60 years. But this discovery hides an important subtlety: it’s all about dosage.
A trace element with multiple faces
Copper occupies a particular position in our body. This essential trace element actively participates in the energy metabolism of neurons, facilitates the synthesis of neurotransmitters and contributes to our antioxidant defense system. However, his role in neurodegenerative diseases remains paradoxical: according to his concentration and bioavailability in the nervous tissue, he can be sometimes protective, sometimes deleterious.
This intriguing duality motivated a team of researchers to explore the relationship between copper consumption and cognitive performance more finely. Their study, published in Scientific Reports, sheds new light on this complex issue.
A major investigation into American territory
The investigation relied on the data of the National Survey on American Health and Nutrition (NHANES), analyzing the profile of 2,420 participants aged 60 and over between 2011 and 2014. This representative cohort made it possible to establish robust correlations between eating habits and brain functions.
The researchers meticulously evaluated the copper intake via detailed food reminders over 24 hours, then submitted participants to a battery of cognitive tests: substitution of figures and symbols, verbal fluence (capacity of a person or a system to quickly deliver information and with expertise), immediate and deferred memory tests. This multidimensional approach offers a complete vision of mental capabilities.
Results that draw an optimal curve
The results reveal a fascinating relationship in the form of a “inverted” between copper consumption and cognitive performance. Participants consuming the most copper (at least 1.44 mg per day) systematically surpass those who consume the least (less than 0.76 mg per day) in the majority of tests.
However, this improvement is not linear. The cognitive benefits progress with copper intake until reaching optimal thresholds located between 1.22 and 1.63 mg per day depending on the tests. Beyond these levels, associations lose their statistical meaning, suggesting that a copper surplus no longer provides additional advantages.
Credit: ISTOCK
Crédits : Mariia Vitkovska/istock
Reinforced protection for stroke survivors
The study also reveals a particularly interesting discovery: people who have survived a brain stroke show an even more marked association between copper intake and overall cognition. This observation suggests that copper could play a particularly important protective role in the recovery and preservation of brain functions after vascular trauma.
Plausible biological mechanisms
Although the specific mechanisms remain to be elucidated, the researchers consider these results as biologically coherent. Copper intervenes in three fundamental brain health processes: it strengthens our antioxidant defenses against oxidative stress, facilitates the production of neuronal communication neurotransmitters, and optimizes the energy metabolism of nerve cells.
To a personalized nutritional approach
This research is part of a broader movement aimed at identifying nutritional strategies capable of preserving our mental faculties with age. It underlines the importance of a nuanced approach: rather than trying to absolutely maximize our copper intake, the objective would be to reach an optimal, neither too weak nor excessive zone.
These discoveries open up promising perspectives for the prevention of cognitive decline, suggesting that a balanced diet, rich in copper at moderate levels, could constitute an accessible strategy to preserve our cognitive capital throughout aging.
