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Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2007 9:42 pm Post subject: Blueberries, Dendrites and Viruses
Cruising through some of the Society for Neuroscience 2007 Abstracts (99.9% of which I can’t begin to understand) I came across this and thought it was a rather intriguing bit of info. Blueberry extract (in rats of course) can counter act some of the age related loss of dendrites and help with “brain circuitry”.
Sorry I can’t link to the actual abstract but here’s the title:
Dietary enrichment with 2% blueberry extract to aged rats results in enhanced dendritic branching and spine neuroplasticity in cortical neurons and more complex brain circuitry
*R. F. MERVIS1,2, P. HWANG3, S. ANTOINE3, J. KOTICK3, K. KALMBACH1, B. SHUKITT-HALE4, J. JOSEPH4;
Quote:
This suggests that even in old subjects, a modest (2%) BB dietary supplementation appears to exert a significant neuroplastic impact on neuronal morphology: it can mitigate normal age-related dendritic atrophy and spine loss. Indeed, the increase in both branching and spines suggests that the BB-extract can exert anti-aging neuroprotection in enhancing the integrity and complexity of brain circuitry in the old rats.
Now, just to make it a tad bit more interesting, per this recent research there may be a connection between an increased number of dendritic cells and susceptibility to viruses (more dc’s increase resistance to viruses).
An increased DC number and/or acquired resistance of DCs to viral infection render susceptible mice resistant to viral persistence and disease progression.
Every morning I eat a handful of blueberries in my yogurt. I started doing this after reading some research last year that concluded blueberries had a ton of positive effects on the body.
The scientists also ate blueberries every day because they were so impressed with the findings.
Joined: Sep 11, 2007 Posts: 667 Location: southern California
Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 3:40 pm Post subject:
Husband's favorite snack is California walnuts and wild Alaskan blueberries...
we call it his "anti-inflammatory/anti-oxidant trail mix"
some more info:
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