Plant-Based Products for Healthy Neurological Aging

Human health has been linked for millennia to the consumption of specific edible plants and the use of traditional herbal medicines. Significantly, the post-industrialization move away from predominantly plant based diets to increased consumption of animal products and processed foods has coincided with a rise in the occurrence of age-related chronic diseases. There is a growing belief that regular consumption of plant products, as part of the daily diet, can increase healthspan and improve quality of life during aging. Dietary supplements containing concentrated extracts of healthy food plants, or traditional medicinal herbs have seen an exponential growth in popularity. These trends are increasingly supported by scientific evidence for the benefits of dietary and medicinal plants for healthy aging.

The increasing proportion of older age groups with populations has highlighted the importance of maintaining optimum health throughout the lifespan. Loss of neurological health manifesting as poorer cognitive function, sleep quality and neuropsychiatric well-being increases with aging. The goal of this Research Topic is to highlight scientific advances in our understanding of how botanical products can positively impact these aspects of neurological health, whether consumed as foods, dietary supplements or herbal medicines.

Contributions to this Research Topic may be review articles, or reports of original preclinical, clinical or epidemiological studies covering the following specific themes:

• Neurological health benefits of specific terrestrial or marine plants
• Epidemiological studies of the role of dietary plants on neurological health in aging
• Effects of characterized plant products or extracts on neurological health in preclinical models or clinical studies
• Neurologically active compounds of plant origin
• Mechanisms of action of plant products or isolation active plant compounds
• Pharmacokinetics, biodistribution or metabolism of neurologically active compounds of plant origin

Keywords: Plant, herbal, brain, aging, neurodegeneration

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.