ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses how the effects of polyphenols are able to evince cognitive effects in humans, or may have the potential to do so if no research yet exists. It focuses on cocoa polyphenols and the stilbene resveratrol, as these polyphenols have received the greatest amount of research relevant to this area. Epidemiological data suggests that cultures consuming diets high in polyphenols are afforded cardiovascular protection. Animal models have demonstrated significant cognitive protection against neurological insults and cognitive enhancements following acute and chronic polyphenol administration; specifically with resveratrol and berry polyphenols. As well as attenuation of cognitive decline in compromised models, animal data also demonstrate the potential for resveratrol to be beneficial in the preservation of cognitive function during healthy ageing. The ability of polyphenols to enhance blood flow in the brain suggests that they should be capable of improving cognitive function due to indirectly increased delivery of neural fuel in the form of oxygen and glucose.
