Previous research has suggested that oxidative stress (damage caused by free radicals) is a major factor involved in central nervous system declines and age-related diseases. Antioxidants produced by the body neutralize harmful free radicals (toxic byproducts of metabolic functions) and protect against oxidative damage. However, antioxidant production declines with aging and is deficient in the brain. Free radical damage is believed to be a factor in age-related memory and motor performance decline. Now a study reports that an antioxidant-rich vegetable diet may help prevent age-related mental decline and neurodegenerative disease.
The study, published in The Journal of Neuroscience, investigated the neuroprotective effects of a diet supplemented with an antioxidant-rich fruit or vegetable extract in cognitive behavioral deficits of rats. Researchers at various U.S. institutions administered a diet supplemented with either strawberry extracts, dried aqueous extract, spinach, vitamin E, or a control diet to 344 rats, beginning when the rats were 6 months of age and continuing for 8 months. The researchers measured the rats' brain cell parameters including dopamine release, cerebellar GABA receptor activity, and carbachol-stimulated GTPase activity, as well as Morris water maze performance.
The researchers found that the spinach-fed rats significantly reduced aging effects on all the parameters except GTPase activity. The strawberry-fed rats showed the greatest reduction of aging effects on GTPase activity. Findings also revealed that the strawberry and vitamin E extracts offered significant protection against aging effects on the parameters.
"Thus, phytochemicals present in antioxidant-rich foods such as spinach may be beneficial in retarding functional age-related central nervous system and cognitive behavioral deficits and, perhaps, may have some benefit in neurodegenerative disease," conclude the study authors.
REFERENCES:
1. Joseph JA et al. Long-Term Dietary Strawberry, Spinach, or Vitamin E Supplementation Retards the Onset of Age-Related Neuronal Signal-Transduction and Cognitive Behavioral Deficits. J Neurosci 1998 Oct; 18(19):8047-8055.
Posted by Elaine Gavalas on August 10, 2006 03:03 PM
