Blueberry supplementation improves memory in older adults
Krikorian R, Shidler MD, Nash TA, Kalt W, Vinqvist-Tymchuk MR, Shukitt-Hale B, Joseph JA
Journal of agricultural and food chemistry · 339 citations
How it was studied
- Design
- Controlled clinical trial (classified by our AI screen)
- Studied in
- People
- Main outcome
- Health markers and function
- Intake measured by
- Not stated
Who paid for it
- Funding
- Independent funding
- Government
- National Institute on Aging
- Government
- NIA NIH HHS
- Grants
- National Institute on Aging (R21AG024484)
Based on 2 listed funder(s).
Publication
- Published
- 2010-01-04 · J Agric Food Chem · vol. 58 · issue 7 · pp. 3996–4000
- Publisher
- American Chemical Society
- Cited
- 580 citations · more than 100% of similar papers · 101.2× the field average
- Impact
- Top 10% most cited in its field
- References
- 40 works
- Access
- Open access (repository copy)
- Research areas
- Medicinal Plants and Neuroprotection · Neurological Disease Mechanisms and Treatments · Biochemical Analysis and Sensing Techniques
- Keywords
- Neurocognitive, Dementia, Placebo, Medicine, Population, Neurodegeneration, Recall, Cognition, Psychology, Internal medicine, Environmental health, Psychiatry
- MeSH
- humans, plant extracts, memory, dietary supplements, aged, aged, 80 and over, female, male, blueberry plants
7 authors
From US, CA
- Robert Krikorian · correspondingUniversity of Cincinnati; University of Cincinnati Medical Center
- Marcelle D. ShidlerUniversity of Cincinnati; University of Cincinnati Medical Center
- Tiffany A. NashUniversity of Cincinnati; University of Cincinnati Medical Center
- Wilhelmina KaltAgriculture and Agri-Food Canada
- Melinda R. VinqvistAgriculture and Agri-Food Canada
- Barbara Shukitt‐HaleTufts University
Abstract
The prevalence of dementia is increasing with expansion of the older adult population. In the absence of effective therapy, preventive approaches are essential to address this public health problem. Blueberries contain polyphenolic compounds, most prominently anthocyanins, which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. In addition, anthocyanins have been associated with increased neuronal signaling in brain centers, mediating memory function as well as improved glucose disposal, benefits that would be expected to mitigate neurodegeneration. This study investigated the effects of daily consumption of wild blueberry juice in a sample of nine older adults with early memory changes. At 12 weeks, improved paired associate learning (p = 0.009) and word list recall (p = 0.04) were observed. In addition, there were trends suggesting reduced depressive symptoms (p = 0.08) and lower glucose levels (p = 0.10). We also compared the memory performances of the blueberry subjects with a demographically matched sample who consumed a berry placebo beverage in a companion trial of identical design and observed comparable results for paired associate learning. The findings of this preliminary study suggest that moderate-term blueberry supplementation can confer neurocognitive benefit and establish a basis for more comprehensive human trials to study preventive potential and neuronal mechanisms.
Abstract via Europe PMC. Copyright remains with the authors or publisher.
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