X-Message-Number: 32334
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 2010 20:25:36 -0800 (PST)
From: 
Subject: Blueberry Supplementation Improves Memory in Older Adults


[Consuming blueberrys would probably increase human lifespan, and may even 
reverse some signs of aging. It will be interesting to see the results when 
blueberrys are finally tested on patients with Alzeimer's disease, or dilated 
cardiomyopathy . Positive results are expected.]

J Agric Food Chem. 2010 Jan 4. [Epub ahead of print]
Blueberry Supplementation Improves Memory in Older Adults (dagger).

Krikorian R, Shidler MD, Nash TA, Kalt W, Vinqvist-Tymchuk MR, Shukitt-Hale B, 
Joseph JA. Department of Psychiatry, University of Cincinnati Academic Health 
Center, P.O. Box 670559, Cincinnati, Ohio 45267-0559.

    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.
PMID: 20047325

PLoS One. 2009 Nov 19;4(11):e7975.

Survival and cardioprotective benefits of long-term blueberry enriched diet in 
dilated cardiomyopathy following myocardial infarction in rats.

Ahmet I, Spangler E, Shukitt-Hale B, Joseph JA, Ingram DK, Talan M. Laboratory 
of Cardiovascular Science and Intramural Research Program, National Institute on
Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of 
America.

    BACKGROUND: Despite remarkable progress in treatment of chronic heart 
    failure (CHF) over the last two decades, mortality, personal suffering and 
    cost remain staggering, and effective interventions are still a challenge. 
    Previously we reported that a blueberry-enriched diet (BD) attenuated 
    necroapoptosis and inflammation in periinfarct area in a rat model of 
    myocardial infarction (MI). OBJECTIVES: To test the hypothesis that BD will 
    attenuate the course of CHF, including mortality and cardiac remodeling 
    during the first year after induction of MI in rats. METHOD AND RESULTS: Two
    weeks after coronary artery ligation, rats were divided into two groups of 
    similar average MI size, measured by echocardiography, and then 12-mo 
    dietary regimens were initiated as follows: ad libitum regular diet 
    (control, CD, n = 27) and isocaloric food with 2% blueberry supplement (BD, 
    n = 27) also available ad libitum. These dietary groups were compared to 
    each other and to sham group (SH). Mortality over the 12 mo was reduced by 
    22% in BD compared with CD (p<0.01). In the course of developing CHF, BD had
    no effect on the body weight, heart rate or blood pressure. Bi-monthly Echo
    revealed significant attenuation of the LV chamber remodeling, LV posterior
    wall thinning, and MI expansion in BD compared with CD. In fact, BD 
    arrested the MI expansion. CONCLUSION: This is the first experimental 
    evidence that a blueberry-enriched diet has positive effects on the course 
    of CHF and thus warrants consideration for clinical evaluation.
PMID: 19936253


[In an in-vitro experiment, blueberrys (and other berrys as well) protected 
against amyloid toxicity.]

Nutr Neurosci. 2003 Jun;6(3):153-62.

Blueberry supplementation enhances signaling and prevents behavioral deficits in
an Alzheimer disease model.

Joseph JA, Denisova NA, Arendash G, Gordon M, Diamond D, Shukitt-Hale B, Morgan 
D. USDA-HNRCA at Tufts University, 711 Washington Street, Boston, MA 02111, USA.

    Previously, we showed that blueberry (BB) supplementation reversed the 
    deleterious effects of aging on motor behavior and neuronal signaling in 
    senescent rodents. We now report that BB-fed (from 4 months of age) APP + 
    PS1 transgenic mice showed no deficits in Y-maze performance (at 12 months 
    of age) with no alterations in amyloid beta burden. It appeared that the 
    protective mechanisms are derived from BB-induced enhancement of 
    memory-associated neuronal signaling (e.g. extracellular signal-regulated 
    kinase) and alterations in neutral sphingomyelin-specific phospholipase C 
    activity. Thus, our data indicate for the first time that it may be possible
    to overcome genetic predispositions to Alzheimer disease through diet.
PMID: 12793519

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