Strawberries and Blueberries Delay Memory Decline

A new study by researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, a world-renowned teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School, finds that a high intake of flavonoid rich berries, such as strawberries and blueberries, over time, can delay memory decline in older women by 2.5 years.

This study is published by Annals of Neurology, a journal of the American Neurological Association and Child Neurology Society, on April 26, 2012.

Findings show that increased consumption of blueberries and strawberries was associated with a slower rate of memory decline in older women. A greater intake of anthocyanidins and total flavonoids was also associated with reduced memory decline.   

“We provide the first epidemiologic evidence that berries appear to slow progression of memory decline in elderly women,” notes Dr. Devore. “Our findings have significant public health implications as increasing berry intake is a fairly simple dietary modification to reduce memory decline in older adults.”

The research team used data from 121,700 female registered nurses between the ages of 30 and 55, who completed health and lifestyle questionnaires beginning in 1976.

Since 1980, participants were surveyed every four years regarding their frequency of food consumption.  Between 1995 and 2001, memory was measured in 16,010 subjects over the age of 70 years, at 2-year intervals.

“What makes our study unique is the amount of data we analyzed over such a long period of time. No other berry study has been conducted on such a large scale,” explained Elizabeth Devore, a researcher who is the lead author on this study.

“Among women who consumed 2 or more servings of strawberries and blueberries each week we saw a modest reduction in memory decline. This effect appears to be attainable with relatively simple dietary modifications.”