By: Heros Pena
With the advent of Covid-19, much has been discussed about the decrease in short-term memory in infected people. Several treatments have been proposed as solutions, from increasing the practice of physical activities to a higher intake of creatine. However, it is important to note that most of these approaches lack robust scientific proof and are often based on pseudoscientific premises.
To understand memory loss, it is necessary to recognize that it can be caused by numerous factors, and there is no single and miraculous treatment applicable to all cases. When it comes to short-term memory, we know that it involves complex processes of chemical and electrical interaction in the brain. In this article, we will focus on the electrical reactions associated with storing and retrieving information.
The transmission of information in the brain occurs through electrical impulses that “jump” between neurons, passing through axons. These axons are lined with a substance called the myelin sheath, a layer of fat that insulates and accelerates the conduction of impulses. This sheath is not continuous; it forms a spiral lining, leaving small spaces called nodes of Ranvier, where electrical impulses “bounce”, facilitating rapid communication between nerve cells.
Imagine the following situation: you wake up and think, “Before I leave, I can’t forget my wallet.” Then, he takes a shower, gets dressed and, when he leaves the house, he feels that he is forgetting something. Later, at the supermarket, he realizes that it was his wallet. This forgetting can occur because, during the transmission of information through the brain, there was an interruption or loss of the signal. This failure may be associated with problems in the myelin sheath.
Myelin is composed mostly of lipids, including “good” cholesterol (HDL). The lack of adequate nutrients in the body, such as healthy fats, can impair the formation and maintenance of the myelin sheath, compromising the efficiency of the transmission of electrical impulses.
Now that you understand a little more about how the brain works, you can see how simple changes in diet, such as including foods rich in good fats (e.g., nuts, fish, and avocados), can contribute to the health of the myelin sheath and, consequently, to improved memory. This illustrates how various aspects of the body are interconnected.
