Blueberries Improve Your Memory

Being forgetful is a normal consequence of getting old. But if your memory fails you more often than it should, perhaps eating blueberries and other foods rich in flavonoids, particular ly anthocyanins and flavanols, may help in reversing your age-related deficits in memory.

Although the precise mechanisms by which these plant-derived molecules affect the brain are unknown, they have been shown to cross the blood brain barrier after dietary intake. It is believed that they exert their effects on learning and memory by enhancing existing neuronal (brain cell) connections, improving cellular communications and stimulating neuronal regeneration.

The enhancement of both short-term and long-term memory is controlled at the molecular level in neurons. The research team was able to show that the ability of flavonoids to induce memory improvements are mediated by the activation of signalling proteins via a specific pathway in the hippocampus, the part of the brain that controls learning and memory.

This study again demonstrates that diet-based approaches can be used to enhance memory. Note also that aside from improving memory, the health benefits of blueberries include fighting osteoporosis and cancer, making it truly a super-fruit!