Tart cherry juice may boost brain function in older adults: Study
| Jul 30, 2019, 12:29 IST
Tart cherry juice may help boost brain function in older adults, according to a new study conducted by a team from theUniversity of Delaware. Scientists speculate this effect may be due to the "bioactive compounds" found in cherries.
34 healthy adults between the ages of 65 to 73 participated in the research. The team ensured to select volunteers that did not take medication that might have an impact on brain function. Participants had to also maintain the same level of fitness and diet throughout the study. For the study, the group was divided into two groups at random. One group had to consume 480 ml of cherry juice on a daily basis for 12 weeks. Meanwhile, the second group were given a placebo drink.
The results showed that those who drank the cherry juice had a reduced error rate by 23 per cent while performing a test that was designed to test new learning and memory. However, the results were not the same for those who consumed the placebo drink.
* Participants exhibited a 5 per cent increase in satisfaction with their improved memory.
* Participants showed a 4 per cent reduction in movement time, which is a technique to measure how fast they respond to visual stimuli.
* Participants were able to process visual information better by almost 3 per cent.
"The potential beneficial effects of tart cherries may be related to the bioactive compounds they possess, which include polyphenols, anthocyanins and melanin," study author Professor Sheau Ching Chai told a news portal. Adding, "They may also be related to tart cherry's potential blood-pressure lowering effects, outlined in a previous study we conducted in the same population, as blood pressure can influence blood flow to the brain."
Even though the findings show promising results, the team wants to better understand the potential effects of drinking tart cherry juice.
The study's findings were originally published in the journal Food & Function.
34 healthy adults between the ages of 65 to 73 participated in the research. The team ensured to select volunteers that did not take medication that might have an impact on brain function. Participants had to also maintain the same level of fitness and diet throughout the study. For the study, the group was divided into two groups at random. One group had to consume 480 ml of cherry juice on a daily basis for 12 weeks. Meanwhile, the second group were given a placebo drink.
The results showed that those who drank the cherry juice had a reduced error rate by 23 per cent while performing a test that was designed to test new learning and memory. However, the results were not the same for those who consumed the placebo drink.
* Participants exhibited a 5 per cent increase in satisfaction with their improved memory.
* Participants showed a 4 per cent reduction in movement time, which is a technique to measure how fast they respond to visual stimuli.
* Participants were able to process visual information better by almost 3 per cent.
"The potential beneficial effects of tart cherries may be related to the bioactive compounds they possess, which include polyphenols, anthocyanins and melanin," study author Professor Sheau Ching Chai told a news portal. Adding, "They may also be related to tart cherry's potential blood-pressure lowering effects, outlined in a previous study we conducted in the same population, as blood pressure can influence blood flow to the brain."
Even though the findings show promising results, the team wants to better understand the potential effects of drinking tart cherry juice.
The study's findings were originally published in the journal Food & Function.