Combination Supplement May Help Improve Cognitive Function

Perilla seed have a high concentration of omega-3 fatty acids. The fruit peel of the Chinese honey orange is abundant in the flavonoid nobiletin. A new study has found that supplementation with perilla seed oil and citrus peel power may help improve cognitive function.

Forty-nine adults with an average age of 73 participated in the study. They were given 1.47 ml of perilla seed oil or 1.47 ml of perilla seed oil and 1.12 g of Chinese honey orange peel powder daily for 12 months. Cognitive function was assessed at baseline and at the end of the study period using the Hasegawa’s Dementia Scale-Revised, the MMSE test, and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor, biological antioxidant potential, and fatty acid levels were evaluated at baseline and the end of the study.

Participants who took both the perilla seed oil and citrus peel powder saw significant increases in their MMSE test scores compared to the perilla seed oil only group. The increases were seen in the areas of orientation, attention and calculation, and language.

Participants in the combination group also saw significant increases in DHA and brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels compared to the perilla seed oil only group. The perilla seed oil saw significant increases in EPA compared to the combination group. Both groups saw significant increases in biological antioxidant levels.

The study was conducted by researchers from Shimane University and Jahangirnagar University. It was published online ahead of print on February 9, 2022, in the journal Food & Function.

In a previous study, sesame oil extract was found to help support cognitive function.