This is how blueberries protect your brain from Alzheimer's

18/07/2017

Los arándanos poseen una elevada cantidad de sustancias antioxidantes que han probado tener cierto potencial protector sobre el organismo humano. Aunque muchos han llegado a catalogar esta fruta como «súper-alimento», la dosis de consumo es el factor crucial a tener en cuenta.

In the case of cerebral and mental health, there are several works that relate the high content of flavonoid antioxidants of this forest fruit with beneficial effects such as preventing neurodegenerative diseases, improving memory and preserving cognitive faculties even if they are consumed during old age .

They protect against dementia

Although the decline in cognitive functions as age advances is an inevitable process, there are some ways to mitigate the consequences of aging. There are two remarkable ways: the first is to practice moderate but constant physical exercise; and the second, maintain a healthy diet. And within said diet, blueberries have been shown to have protective effects.

A study carried out by a group of researchers from the University of Cincinnati led by Robert Krikorian analyzed the improvement of intellectual functions in 94 individuals between 62 to 80 years with mild cognitive problems, without clear diagnosis of cognitive impairment. They were divided into four groups, which were given blueberries, fish oil, cranberries and fish oil together, or placebo. According to their findings, those who consumed blueberries with or without fish oil showed slight cognitive improvements. In healthy individuals, they suggest, the effects would be less intense.

They reduce the symptoms of Alzheimer's

On the other hand, the same group of researchers at the University of Cincinnati also conducted a second study involving 47 adults with mild cognitive impairment - a previous step to Alzheimer's disease - between 65 and 77 years. After consuming 30 milliliters of cranberry juice (about 230 grams of fruit) each day for 16 weeks, an increase in brain activity and memory was demonstrated with respect to individuals who did not consume the fruit.

Likewise, the improvement of brain activity was corroborated by cognitive exercises and also by imaging tests, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), where an increase in cerebral blood flow was detected.

Prevent memory loss

On the other hand, another study published in 2012 in the Journal of Agricultural & Food Chemistry suggested that blueberries could help keep the brain healthy. They would achieve this by changing the way in which neurons communicate with each other and reducing brain inflammation that would cause neuronal damage.

The hypothesis shuffled in this study is that the antioxidant products that contain this type of berries, together, would be responsible for this decrease in brain inflammation. However, researchers also wonder if other types of berries could help in this process.

Increase the number of neurons

Taking cranberries daily could increase brain production of replacement neurons. At least this is suggested by a study carried out by the US Agricultural Research Service at 2002. The researchers fed a group of rats with blueberry supplements for two months, in an amount equivalent to a daily cup of this fruit in humans.

The rats, of an advanced age for their species, experienced an improvement in memory by producing neurons in the hippocampus, the brain area responsible for memory and one of which has been shown to continuously replace their brain cells.

Improve concentration and memory

The benefits in the consumption of blueberries would not only be noticed in the long term. Within a few hours they could demonstrate its effects, according to a study conducted at 2009 by the University of Reading in which a group of participants consumed a blueberry milkshake in the morning.

In the middle of the afternoon, this group showed a better performance in mental tasks, barely four or five hours after taking the shake. In comparison, those who had not consumed blueberries showed a decrease of between 15% and 20% of their cognitive performance.

Balance mental health

Finally, cranberries have also been shown to help improve mental health by reducing genetic and biochemical factors that would be behind disorders such as depression and suicidal tendencies linked to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This is suggested by a recent study presented at the last Annual Meeting of the American Society of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics of 2016.

In this work a PTSD was caused in rats, and a group of them was treated with a diet rich in cranberries: the equivalent of two daily cups of fruit. According to their results, those rats that consumed blueberries showed an increase in the levels of the SKA2 gene, which is found at abnormally low levels in those individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder and suicidal tendencies.

According to the researchers, blueberries could have some kind of effect on the gene expression of this gene, thus being able to diminish some of the symptoms of this disorder.

Source: Elespanol.com