Blueberries Help Improve Memory in Older Adults
Lee Swanson Reserach Update
Consuming supplemental blueberries for only 12 weeks may boost memory in older people with early memory problems, according to a study out of Ohio.
A daily drink of about 500 mL of blueberry juice was associated with improved learning and word list recall, as well as a suggestion of reduced depressive symptoms. The findings were published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
The study is said to be the first human trial to assess the potential benefits of blueberries on brain function in older adults with increased risk for dementia and Alzheimer’s.
"These preliminary memory findings are encouraging and suggest that consistent supplementation with blueberries may offer an approach to forestall or mitigate neurodegeneration," wrote the researchers, led by Robert Krikorian from the University of Cincinnati Academic Health Center.
The beneficial effects of blueberries are thought to be linked to their flavonoid content—in particular anthocyanins and flavonols. The exact way in which flavonoids affect the brain is unknown, but they have previously been shown to cross the blood-brain barrier after dietary intake. It is believed that they may exert their effects on learning and memory by enhancing existing neuronal connections, improving cellular communications and stimulating neuronal regeneration.
Krikorian and his co-workers recruited nine older people with an average age of 76.2 and an average educational level of 15.6 years. Subjects were assigned to receive a daily dose of blueberry juice equivalent to between six and nine mL per kilogram of body weight per day.
Results showed significant improvements in improved learning and word list recall. There was also a trend toward reduced depressive symptoms and lower glucose levels. Krikorian and his co-workers added that it would be interesting in future studies to examine if changes in cognitive function are associated with metabolic improvements.
";Replication of the findings in a larger, controlled trial will be important to corroborate and amplify these data," wrote the researchers. "On balance, this initial study establishes a basis for further human research of blueberry supplementation as a preventive intervention with respect to cognitive aging," they concluded.
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry Published online ahead of print.
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