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The rats in one study were from a breed that tends to develop 
alzheimers.  The blueberry-fed rats had similar plaque in their brains, 
but much better brain function than the control rats.

I also saw the study on coordination and learning in older rats who ate 
blueberries.  I've been eating more blueberries ever since.  I like 
blueberries a lot, but stuff like this makes it a little easier to 
justify the price. . .  Some day I hope to grow enough blueberries to 
freeze them.  Now, I consume my complete crop by nibbling when I am out 
doing yardwork.  Sigh.

Ginda

On Feb 6, 2005, at 11:04 AM, Charles Paradise wrote:

> Blueberries Reverse Certain Aging Characteristics
>
> Forget Viagra. Forget red wine. Anyone seeking to really feel young 
> again should try blueberries, research on rats suggests. Old rats fed 
> the equivalent of a cup of blueberries a day not only were more 
> coordinated, but were smarter than other old rats. Researchers are now 
> working to find out just what it is in blueberries that repairs the 
> damage ageing does to the brain. In the meantime, they are eating 
> blueberries themselves. Researchers found that rats fed spinach and 
> strawberries learned better than rats on a standard diet. Then they 
> threw a blueberry extract into the diet. The rats who got the 
> supplement not only learned faster than other rats, but their motor 
> skills improved. There were a lot of changes in neuronal communication 
> - the ability of one neuron to communicate with one another, but what 
> struck the researchers was the ability to change motor behavior. There 
> is virtually nothing out there that can change motor behavior in 
> ageing. But the blueberries did. The rats were 19 months old, they are 
> the equivalent of 60 to 65 years of age and the researchers feed them 
> for two months so they're up to 70-75. The blueberry fed rats did 
> better on standard rat tests, like making them swim in a water maze, 
> or find an underwater platform in murky water. But they also did 
> better on tests involving a spinning rod or an inclined rod - good 
> tests of coordination. Young rats six months old could stay on a rod 
> an average of 14 seconds. Old rats fell off after six seconds, but the 
> blueberry-supplemented old rats could stay on for 10. The blueberries 
> did not make the rats young again, but did improve their skills 
> considerably. When the rats' brains were examined, the brain cells of 
> the rats that got the blueberries communicated better. The researchers 
> are doing tests to see what compounds in the blueberries are 
> responsible for the effects. Other scientists have found that the 
> components that give fruits and vegetables their color - such as the 
> lycopene that makes tomatoes red - are associated with health-giving 
> effects. One of things they might be doing is to protect against 
> oxidative stress. Oxidation occurs all the time in the body and is 
> cell damage created by charged particles known as free radicals. They 
> also may reduce inflammation. Fruits and vegetables are loaded with 
> antioxidants, which range from the resveratrol found in red wine, the 
> anthocyanins that make strawberries red and blueberries blue, and the 
> vitamins A, C and E. Diets rich in fruits and vegetables have been 
> shown to reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer. The rats ate 
> supplements made from blueberry juice, but the researchers think the 
> whole fruit may confer even more benefits.  You can't overdose on 
> blueberries.
>
> Journal of Neuroscience September 1999
>
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