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 Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=32334