Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 2012. Published online ahead of print, ASAP Article, DOI: 10.1021/jf300277g
Concord Grape Juice Supplementation and Neurocognitive Function in Human Aging.
Krikorian R, Boespflug EL, Fleck DE, Stein AL, Wightman JD, Shidler MD, Sadat-Hossieny S
Commento
Il succo d’uva è una ricca fonte di polifenoli, potenti antiossidanti in grado di esercitare un effetto antiossidante. Precedentemente è stato sottolineato che il suo consumo riduce l’invecchiamento a livello neuronale nei ratti (Nutrition, 2006, Vol. 22, pp 295-302), mentre un altro studio di gruppo ha rilevato che il consumo giornaliero può migliorare la memoria nelle persone anziane con lieve compromissione della funzione cerebrale (British Journal of Nutrition, 2010, vol. 103, pp 730-734). In uno studio recente sono state reclutate 21 persone con un’età media di 76 anni, tutti aventi un lieve decadimento cognitivo. In seguito all’assunzione di una bevanda di succo d’uva pari a 6,3-7,8 ml/kg è stato osservato un minor numero di errori in compiti dove era richiesto uno sforzo mnemonico. Inoltre, la risonanza magnetica ha mostrato una maggiore attivazione delle regioni anteriore e posteriore sul lato destro del cervello e quindi un aumento dell’attività neuronale. Quindi il consumo di un bicchiere di succo d’uva alla dieta quotidiana può migliorare le prestazioni della memoria e migliorare la funzionalità neurocognitiva di persone anziane con declino della memoria breve.
ABSTRACT
Polyphenol compounds found in berry fruits, in particular flavonoids, have been associated with health benefits including improvement in cognition and neuronal function with aging. Concord grape juice contains polyphenols, including anthocyanins and flavanols, and previous research has shown improvement in a number of human health conditions with grape juice supplementation. In the current study, older adult subjects with mild cognitive impairment consumed Concord grape juice or placebo for 16 weeks and were administered assessments of memory function and brain activation pre- and postintervention. Participants who consumed grape juice showed reduced semantic interference on memory tasks. Relatively greater activation in anterior and posterior regions of the right hemisphere was also observed with functional magnetic resonance imaging in the grape juice treated subjects. These findings provide further evidence that Concord grape juice can enhance neurocognitive function in older adults with mild memory decline.
Polyphenol compounds found in berry fruits, in particular flavonoids, have been associated with health benefits including improvement in cognition and neuronal function with aging. Concord grape juice contains polyphenols, including anthocyanins and flavanols, and previous research has shown improvement in a number of human health conditions with grape juice supplementation. In the current study, older adult subjects with mild cognitive impairment consumed Concord grape juice or placebo for 16 weeks and were administered assessments of memory function and brain activation pre- and postintervention. Participants who consumed grape juice showed reduced semantic interference on memory tasks. Relatively greater activation in anterior and posterior regions of the right hemisphere was also observed with functional magnetic resonance imaging in the grape juice treated subjects. These findings provide further evidence that Concord grape juice can enhance neurocognitive function in older adults with mild memory decline.
