Green Tea and Protection of the Brain Against Aging: Structural Aspects

Aging leads to oxidative imbalances in the central nervous system, predisposing it to neurodegenerative diseases. The brain is vulnerable to oxidative events involved in the formation of lipofuscin, a non-degradable pigment formed in lysosomes and considered a biomarker of neuronal lesion. The polyphenols present in green tea have beneficial effects in several models of neurotoxicity, and the prolonged consumption of this beverage was able to decrease lysosomal volume, reduce the deposition of lipofuscin in neuronal cytoplasm and diminish mitochondrial oxidative events in rodents during aging. Furthermore, it maintained the cognitive performance dependent on the structural integrity of the hippocampal formation in aged animals. The modulation of cellular signaling systems related to anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory defenses and neuronal survival is probably related to the marked neuroprotective action of green tea polyphenols. These properties suggest that green tea can be helpful in delaying the effects of aging in the brain and preventing neurodegenerative diseases.