title: Dietary phytochemicals and neuro-inflammaging: from mechanistic insights to translational challenges.
abstract: An extensive literature describes the positive impact of dietary phytochemicals on overall health and longevity. Dietary phytochemicals include a large group of non-nutrients compounds from a wide range of plant-derived foods and chemical classes. Over the last decade, remarkable progress has been made to realize that oxidative and nitrosative stress (O&NS) and chronic, low-grade inflammation are major risk factors underlying brain aging. Accumulated data strongly suggest that phytochemicals from fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices may exert relevant negative immunoregulatory, and/or anti-O&NS activities in the context of brain aging. Despite the translational gap between basic and clinical research, the current understanding of the molecular interactions between phytochemicals and immune-inflammatory and O&NS (IO&NS) pathways could help in designing effective nutritional strategies to delay brain aging and improve cognitive function. This review attempts to summarise recent evidence indicating that specific phytochemicals may act as positive modulators of IO&NS pathways by attenuating pro-inflammatory pathways associated with the age-related redox imbalance that occurs in brain aging. We will also discuss the need to initiate long-term nutrition intervention studies in healthy subjects. Hence, we will highlight crucial aspects that require further study to determine effective physiological concentrations and explore the real impact of dietary phytochemicals in preserving brain health before the onset of symptoms leading to cognitive decline and inflammatory neurodegeneration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Health Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Molise, Campobasso, Italy.
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Davinelli
authors.affiliation: IMPACT Research Center, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia ; Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maes
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Health Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Molise, Campobasso, Italy.
authors.forename: Graziamaria
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Corbi
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples "Federico II", Complesso Universitario Monte S. Angelo, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Armando
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zarrelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Welfare, Okinawa International University, Okinawa, Japan ; Department of Geriatric Medicine, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, USA.
authors.forename: Donald Craig
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Willcox
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Health Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Molise, Campobasso, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Scapagnini
keywords: Aging; Brain; Diet; Inflammation; Oxidative stress; Phytochemicals