BLUEBERRIES ARE GOOD FOR YOU
| Published: 9th June 2008 12:24 |
Blueberries are definitively good for you.... they stop you forgetting
Research at the University of Reading has found that phytochemical-rich foods,
such as blueberries, can reverse age-related decline in memory and may have
implications for the treatment of ageing-associated diseases, such as Alzheimer's
Disease.
Published in the journal Free Radical Biology and Medicine, the research
shows that supplementing a regular diet with blueberries results in
improvements in memory.
Blueberries are a major source of a group of plant phytochemicals known
as flavonoids, which were historically believed to act as antioxidants in
our bodies. However, this study indicates that rather than acting as simple
antioxidants, flavonoids may interact directly with neurons (nerve cells)
at the molecular level.
This interaction may initiate signaling pathways which can enhance
existing neuronal connections, improve cellular communications and stimulate
neuronal regeneration. The enhancement of both short-term and long-term memory
is known to be controlled at the molecular level in neurons. This research suggests
that the ability of flavonoids to induce improvements in memory may be through the
activation of signaling pathways in the hippocampus, the part of the brain that
controls learning and memory.
This multidisciplinary research project was led by Dr. Jeremy P E Spencer,
from the Department of Food Biosciences at the University of Reading, and
included Dr Claire Williams from the University's School of Psychology.
It also involved the Peninsula Medical School.
Dr Spencer said; "Impaired or failing memory as we get older is one of life's major inconveniences. Scientists have known of the potential health benefits of diets rich in fresh fruits for a long time. Our previous work had suggested that flavonoid compounds had some kind of effect on memory, but until now we had not known the potential mechanisms to account for this.
"Our research provides scientific
evidence to show that blueberries
are good for you. It also supports
the idea that a diet-based approach
could potentially be used to increase
memory capacity and performance
in the future. We will be taking these
findings to the next level by investigating
the effects of diets rich in flavonoids
on individuals suffering from cognitive
impairment and possibly Alzheimer's
disease."
Community Comment:
Add your comment:
You will need to sign in to post a comment to this article. if you do not have an AboutMyArea account, you can join now for free.
