Turmeric and Depression: The Neuroprotective Effects of Curcumin
About Kelly Brogan
KELLY BROGAN, MD, is a holistic psychiatrist, author of the New York Times Bestselling book, A Mind of Your Own, Own Your Self, the children’s book, A Time For Rain, and co-editor of the landmark textbook Integrative Therapies for Depression.
In an animal model of depression, researchers explored possible antidepressant mechanisms of the polyphenolic compound, curcumin, in the traditional spice, turmeric.
- After identifying stress-induced brain changes including decreases in brain-derived growth factor (BDNF) in the lateral amygdala, this study found that curcumin had the potential to mitigate these effects, when preventatively administered for a 6 week period.
- The neurophysiologic findings correlated with absence of depressive symptoms in these stressed rodents. These findings support the growing body of literature around the neuroprotective effects of curcumin.
Consider adding culinary doses to foods cooked with oil (ghee, olive, red palm, coconut) and pepper to enhance absorption.Read the study to learn about curcumin, turmeric and depression.
