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.

中文翻译：

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饮食植物化学物质和神经发炎：从机理见解到转化挑战。

大量文献描述了膳食植物化学物质对整体健康和长寿的积极影响。膳食植物化学物质包括来自多种植物来源食品和化学类别的大量非营养化合物。在过去的十年中，人们已经取得了显著进步，以认识到氧化和亚硝化压力（O＆NS）和慢性低度炎症是导致大脑衰老的主要危险因素。积累的数据强烈表明，在大脑老化的情况下，水果，蔬菜，草药和香料中的植物化学物质可能会产生相关的负免疫调节和/或抗O＆NS活性。尽管基础研究和临床研究之间存在翻译鸿沟，但目前对植物化学物质与免疫炎症和O＆NS（IO＆NS）途径可以帮助设计有效的营养策略，以延缓大脑衰老并改善认知功能。这篇综述试图总结最近的证据，这些证据表明特定的植物化学物质可以通过减轻与脑衰老中与年龄相关的氧化还原失衡相关的促炎途径来充当IO＆NS途径的正调节剂。我们还将讨论在健康受试者中开展长期营养干预研究的必要性。因此，我们将重点介绍需要进一步研究以确定有效的生理浓度并探讨饮食植物化学物质在导致认知功能下降和炎症性神经变性的症状发作之前对维护大脑健康的真正影响的关键方面。