Blueberries Improve Neuroinflammation and Cognition differentially Depending on Individual Cognitive baseline Status

A mixture of Nordic berries improves cognitive function, metabolic function and alters the gut microbiota in C57Bl/6J male mice

Our diets greatly influence our health. Multiple lines of research highlight the beneficial properties of eating berries and fruits. In this study, a berry mixture of Nordic berries previously identified as having the potential to improve memory was supplemented to young C57Bl/6J male mice to investigate effects on cognition function, metabolic health, markers of neuroinflammation, and gut microbiota composition. C57Bl/6J male mice at the age of 8 weeks were given standard chow, a high-fat diet (HF, 60%E fat), or a high-fat diet supplemented with freeze-dried powder (20% dwb) of a mixture of Nordic berries and red grape juice (HF + Berry) for 18 weeks (n = 12 animals/diet group). The results show that supplementation with the berry mixture may have beneficial effects on spatial memory, as seen by enhanced performance in the T-maze and Barnes maze compared to the mice receiving the high-fat diet without berries. Additionally, berry intake may aid in counteracting high-fat diet induced weight gain and could influence neuroinflammatory status as suggested by the increased levels of the inflammation modifying IL-10 cytokine in hippocampal extracts from berry supplemented mice. Furthermore, the 4.5-month feeding with diet containing berries resulted in significant changes in cecal microbiota composition. Analysis of cecal bacterial 16S rRNA revealed that the chow group had significantly higher microbial diversity, as measured by the Shannon diversity index and total operational taxonomic unit richness, than the HF group. The HF diet supplemented with berries resulted in a strong trend of higher total OTU richness and significantly increased the relative abundance of Akkermansia muciniphila, which has been linked to protective effects on cognitive decline. In conclusion, the results of this study suggest that intake of a Nordic berry mixture is a valuable strategy for maintaining and improving cognitive function, to be further evaluated in clinical trials.

Plant Fortification of the Diet for Anti-Ageing Effects: A Review

Ageing is an enigmatic and progressive biological process which undermines the normal functions of living organisms with time. Ageing has been conspicuously linked to dietary habits, whereby dietary restrictions and antioxidants play a substantial role in slowing the ageing process. Oxygen is an essential molecule that sustains human life on earth and is involved in the synthesis of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that pose certain health complications. The ROS are believed to be a significant factor in the progression of ageing. A robust lifestyle and healthy food, containing dietary antioxidants, are essential for improving the overall livelihood and decelerating the ageing process. Dietary antioxidants such as adaptogens, anthocyanins, vitamins A/D/C/E and isoflavones slow the ageing phenomena by reducing ROS production in the cells, thereby improving the life span of living organisms. This review highlights the manifestations of ageing, theories associated with ageing and the importance of diet management in ageing. It also discusses the available functional foods as well as nutraceuticals with anti-ageing potential.

The effects of blueberry and strawberry serum metabolites on age-related oxidative and inflammatory signaling in vitro

Berry fruits contain a variety of bioactive polyphenolic compounds that exhibit potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. We have shown that consumption of freeze-dried whole berry powder, equivalent to 1 cup per day of blueberry (BB) or 2 cups per day of strawberry (SB), can differentially improve some aspects of cognition in healthy, older adults, compared to placebo-supplemented controls. We investigated whether fasting and postprandial serum from BB- or SB-supplemented older adults (60-75 years), taken at baseline or after 45 or 90 days of supplementation, would reduce the production of inflammatory and oxidative stress markers compared to serum from a placebo group, in LPS-stressed HAPI rat microglial cells, in vitro. Serum from both BB- and SB-supplemented participants reduced nitrite production, iNOS and COX-2 expression, and TNF-alpha release relative to serum from placebo controls (p < 0.05). Protection was greatest with serum from the 90-day time-point, suggesting that ongoing supplementation may provide the most health benefits. Serum was protective in both fasted and postprandial conditions, indicating that the effects are not only acute and that the meal did not challenge subjects' ability to regulate oxidative and inflammatory stress. These results suggest that berry metabolites, present in the circulating blood following ingestion, may be mediating the anti-inflammatory effects of dietary berry fruit.