Curcumin and Neurocognitive Health: Mechanistic Insights and Translational Clinical Evidence

Neurocognitive decline represents a growing public health concern, with limited disease-‎modifying therapeutic options currently available. Curcumin, a polyphenolic compound derived ‎from Curcuma longa, has attracted interest due to its proposed neuroprotective properties, ‎however, translating experimental findings into consistent clinical benefits remains uncertain. ‎This narrative review synthesises mechanistic, preclinical, and clinical evidence examining the ‎role of curcumin in neurocognitive health and highlights key translational challenges. ‎Experimental studies demonstrate modulation of oxidative stress, neuroinflammatory signalling, ‎amyloid aggregation, and neurotrophic pathways, supporting biological plausibility. Preclinical ‎models frequently report improvements in learning and memory, though effects often occur at ‎exposure levels not readily achievable in humans. Clinical evidence remains heterogeneous and ‎influenced by formulation, bioavailability, dosage, intervention duration, and cognitive ‎assessment methods. Conventional curcumin preparations generally show limited cognitive ‎benefit, whereas selected trials using enhanced-bioavailability formulations report modest ‎improvements, primarily in non-demented older adults. Curcumin supplementation is generally ‎well tolerated, although long-term safety data remain limited. Overall, despite compelling ‎mechanistic rationale, current clinical evidence is insufficient to support routine use of curcumin ‎for neurocognitive enhancement or treatment of neurodegenerative disease, underscoring the ‎need for rigorously designed trials using standardised formulations and robust cognitive and ‎biomarker-based outcomes‎.