Strawberries may fend off Alzheimer’s

May strawberries as a snack or in your cereal, salads or smoothie assist defend your mind from Alzheimer’s? Possibly so, in accordance with a brand new examine from researchers at RUSH.

RUSH researchers discovered {that a} bioactive compound present in strawberries known as pelargonidin could also be related to fewer neurofibrillary tau tangles within the mind. Tau tangles are one of many hallmarks of Alzheimer’s illness, which is attributable to irregular adjustments with tau proteins that accumulate within the mind. The examine was revealed within the Journal of Alzheimer’s Illness on July 19.

“We suspect the anti-inflammatory properties of pelargonidin could lower total neuroinflammation, which can scale back cytokine manufacturing,” mentioned Dr. Julie Schneider, creator of the examine. Schneider is affiliate professor and neuropathologist within the Rush Alzheimer’s Illness Middle at Rush College Medical Middle in Chicago.

Cytokines are proteins produced by cells and may regulate numerous inflammatory responses. Irritation within the mind has been linked to Alzheimer’s pathology akin to plaques and tangles. The information means that pelargonidin could defend the growing old mind from creating Alzheimer’s illness pathology.

Amongst berries, strawberries are probably the most plentiful supply of pelargonidin.

“Whereas pelagonidin ought to be examined additional for his or her function in sustaining mind well being in older adults, this offers a easy change that anybody could make of their weight-reduction plan,” mentioned Puja Agarwal, Ph.D., an creator of the examine and dietary epidemiologist Rush Alzheimer’s Illness Middle and assistant professor of inside medication at Rush College Medical Middle.

RUSH researchers checked out information they acquired from an ongoing long-term examine performed by the RADC, Rush Reminiscence and Getting old Challenge (MAP), which started in 1997. There was a complete of 575 deceased contributors with full dietary info throughout the follow-up and mind autopsies whose common age of loss of life was 91.3 years. A complete of 452 folks had been non-carriers of the APOE 4 gene and a complete of 120 contributors with APOE 4, which is the strongest genetic threat issue gene for Alzheimer’s illness. Members had been assessed about weight-reduction plan utilizing a meals frequency questionnaire for as much as practically 20 years of follow-up previous to loss of life and standardized neuropathological analysis after loss of life.

Throughout the course of the examine, every particular person obtained annual, standardized testing for cognitive skill in 5 areas—episodic reminiscence, working reminiscence, semantic reminiscence, visuospatial skill and perceptual velocity.

MAP contains folks age 65 and older who had been residents of greater than 40 retirement communities and senior public housing items throughout northern Illinois. Those that enrolled had been largely white with out recognized dementia, and all contributors agreed to bear annual scientific evaluations whereas alive and a mind post-mortem after loss of life. The outcomes had been the identical after researchers adjusted for different components that might have an effect on reminiscence and considering abilities, akin to schooling, APOE 4 standing, vitamin E, and vitamin C. The associations had been extra strong amongst these with out dementia or gentle cognitive impairment at baseline.

“We didn’t observe the identical impact in folks with the APOE 4 gene that’s related to Alzheimer’s illness, however that could be as a result of smaller pattern measurement of people on this examine who had the gene,” mentioned Agarwal.

“The examine was an observational examine and doesn’t show a direct causal relationship. Additional analysis is required to know the function of diet in Alzheimer’s Illness, however this examine provides us hope on how particular dietary elements akin to berry could assist mind well being” mentioned Agarwal.