Blueberries and Alzheimer's
A recent study involving rats has also shown
blueberries to be helpful in slowing down or stopping memory loss
and improving short-term memory.
In the study, one group of rats was fed a diet high in blueberry
content, while the other group was fed a diet of regular rat food.
After 48 hours of exposure to unconcentrated oxygen, the regular
food group of rats lost responsiveness in the neurotransmitters
associated with short-term memory, while the blueberry group experienced
no change. Blueberries are being proven to hold off some of the
decline in short term memory loss associated with aging by increasing
the ability of brain cells to transmit messages.
The study was conducted by James Joseph, Ph.D. of the U.S. Department
of Agriculture, Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts
University in Boston, and Paula C. Bickford, Ph.D. of the University
of Colorado Health Sciences Center and the Department of Veterans
Affairs Medical Center in Denver. The study results appear in the
September 15, 1999, issue of the Journal of Neuroscience.
The animals that received supplements were given either blueberry,
strawberry, or spinach extracts. Investigators found that the group
of rats that was fed blueberry supplements came out on top in tests
of balance and coordination. The two groups given strawberry or
blueberry supplements showed the most compelling evidence of protection
against oxidative stress in their brains. On tests of working memory,
all three groups receiving supplements outperformed their control
counterparts. fn addition, the groups receiving supplements all
showed signs of the presence of vitamin E, a key antioxidant, in
their brains.
"The exciting finding from this study is the potential reversal
of some age-related impairments in both memory and motor coordination,
especially with blueberry supplements," said Molly Wagster,
Ph.D., a Health Scientist Administrator with the NIA's Neuroscience
and Neurospsychology of Aging Program. "For these animals
at least, investigators were able to produce a noticeable improvement
within a relatively short period of time. A next important step
in the research will be to see if the improvements are long lasting."
"Whether results found in this study will also prove true
for humans remains to be seen," says Marcelle Morrison-Bogorad,
Ph.D., who directs the NIA's Neuroscience and Neuropsychology of
Aging Program. "The only way to determine whether particular
food ingredients actually work to slow age-related cognitive decline
in humans as well is to conduct controlled clinical trials." The
NIA has recently funded additions to two ongoing clinical trials
testing whether a number of over-the-counter agents, including
antioxidants such as vitamin E, influence the rate of cognitive
decline in older women.
The National Institute on Aging, part of the National Institutes
of Health (NIH), located in Bethesda, Maryland, leads the Federal
effort supporting basic, clinical, epidemiological and social research
on aging and the special needs of older people.
Reference:
* Joseph, J.A., Shukitt-Hale B., Denisova, N.A. Bielinksi D.,
Martin, A., McEwen, J.J., and Bickford, P.C. "Reversals of
Age- Related Declines in Neuronal Signal Transduction, Cognitive,
and Motor Behavioral Deficits with Blueberry, Spinach, or Strawberry
Dietary Supplementation." Journal of Neuroscience, September
15, 1999, Vol. 19, No. 18, pp. 8114-812 1
Blueberry Facts and News
Why all the hype about blueberries? Here we hope to unravel the
myths and fact about blueberries and help you decide whether taking
blueberry supplements are right for you.
Blueberry
facts and news articles
|
