A diet of chicken, fish and protein shakes helps heals a brain damaged by injury, according to a study at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. The researchers believe that three particular branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) which are found in protein-rich food and are known to help build muscle, are involved: levels of these were much lower in the brain-damaged mice compared with a control group of non-brain-damaged mice. However, brain-damaged mice who were given water enriched with BCAAs for five days had normal levels and performed better at learning tasks.
The study complements the findings of an Italian study at the University of Pavia last year, which found found that BCAAs improved the "feeding, grooming and toileting" abilities of minimally conscious patients.
(New Scientist) | For further info...