British Journal of Nutrition
- British Journal of Nutrition / FirstView Article
- Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2015. This is a work of the U.S. Government and is not subject to copyright protection in the United States.
- DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0007114515003451 (About DOI), 8 pages. Published online: 22 September 2015
Full Papers
Molecular NutritionThe beneficial effects of berries on cognition, motor behaviour and neuronal function in ageing
Barbara Shukitt-Halea1 c1, Donna F. Bielinskia1, Francis C. Laua1, Lauren M. Willisa1, Amanda N. Careya1 and James A. Josepha1 †
a1 USDA-ARS, Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111, USA
Abstract
Previously,
it has been shown that strawberry (SB) or blueberry (BB)
supplementations, when fed to rats from 19 to 21 months of age, reverse
age-related decrements in motor and cognitive performance. We have
postulated that these effects may be the result of a number of positive
benefits of the berry polyphenols, including decreased stress
signalling, increased neurogenesis, and increased signals involved in
learning and memory. Thus, the present study was carried out to examine
these mechanisms in aged animals by administering a control, 2 % SB- or 2
% BB-supplemented diet to aged Fischer 344 rats for 8 weeks to
ascertain their effectiveness in reversing age-related deficits in
behavioural and neuronal function. The results showed that rats
consuming the berry diets exhibited enhanced motor performance and
improved cognition, specifically working memory. In addition, the rats
supplemented with BB and SB diets showed increased hippocampal
neurogenesis and expression of insulin-like growth factor 1, although
the improvements in working memory performance could not solely be
explained by these increases. The diverse polyphenolics in these berry
fruits may have additional mechanisms of action that could account for
their relative differences in efficacy.
(Received March 18 2015)
(Revised July 17 2015)
(Accepted August 10 2015)
Key words
- Strawberries;
- Blueberries;
- Spatial memory;
- Learning;
- Stress signalling;
- Neurogenesis
Abbreviations
- BB:blueberry;
- BrdU:bromodeoxyuridine;
- IGF-1:insulin-like growth factor 1;
- INF:inflammation;
- MWM:Morris water maze;
- OS:oxidative stress;
- SB:strawberry;
- TBST:Tris-buffered saline with Tween
Correspondence
c1
Corresponding author: B. Shukitt-Hale, fax +1 617 556 3299, email barbara.shukitthale@ars.usda.gov
Footnotes
†
In memory of James A. Joseph, our valued colleague and friend, who passed away while this paper was being written.