via Neuroscience News
Dementia affects millions of people worldwide, robbing them of their ability to think, remember and live as they once did. In the search for new ways to fight cognitive decline, scientists report in ACS’ Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry that blueberry vinegar might offer some help. They found that the fermented product could restore cognitive function in mice.
Recent studies have shown that the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia, have lower levels of the signaling compound acetylcholine and its receptors. Research has also demonstrated that blocking acetylcholine receptors disrupts learning and memory. Drugs to stop the breakdown of acetylcholine have been developed to fight dementia, but they often don’t last long in the body and can be toxic to the liver. Natural extracts could be a safer treatment option, and some animal studies suggest that these extracts can improve cognition. Additionally, fermentation can boost the bioactivity of some natural products. So Beong-Ou Lim and colleagues wanted to test whether vinegar made from blueberries, which are packed with a wide range of active compounds, might help prevent cognitive decline.
To carry out their experiment, the researchers administered blueberry vinegar to mice with induced amnesia. Measurements of molecules in their brains showed that the vinegar reduced the breakdown of acetylcholine and boosted levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, a protein associated with maintaining and creating healthy neurons. To test how the treatment affected cognition, the researchers analyzed the animals’ performance in mazes and an avoidance test, in which the mice would receive a low-intensity shock in one of two chambers. The treated rodents showed improved performance in both of these tests, suggesting that the fermented product improved short-term memory. Thus, although further testing is needed, the researchers say that blueberry vinegar could potentially be a promising food to help treat amnesia and cognitive decline related to aging.
Learn more:Â Blueberry vinegar improves memory in mice with amnesia
The Latest on: Blueberry vinegar
- Granite Kitchen: Blueberries mean more than muffinson August 2, 2022 at 6:05 pm
Blueberry season is in full swing here in the Granite State, so if you haven’t had the opportunity to pick up a fresh pint of berries, now’s the time. We are fortunate in New Hampshire to have ...
- What’s better: eating blueberrries or picking them?on August 2, 2022 at 4:49 pm
I have devoured them with gusto in chutney, and on salads in the form of blueberry vinegar. The act of picking berries is, in its own right, a weirdly transcendent experience, a gateway both to ...
- Simple and tasty blueberry recipeson August 1, 2022 at 5:36 pm
Blueberry balsamic sandwich Ciabattas and paninis work best for this recipe. Just fill the bread with blueberries, pesto, fresh mozzarella, tomato, arugula, and a touch of balsamic vinegar.
- Blueberry-Glazed Ribson July 30, 2022 at 5:00 pm
Add the vinegar and bring to a boil. Add the Perfect Blueberry Syrup and hot sauce and simmer over moderately low heat until reduced to 1 1/2 cups, 10 minutes. Discard the herb bundle. Step 3 ...
- Austerlitz, N.Y.: Blueberry festival at Old Austerlitzon July 28, 2022 at 9:17 am
The Austerlitz Historical Society will hold its annual Blueberry Festival from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, July 31, at Old Austerlitz, 11550 Route 22. A blueberry pancake breakfast will be served from 9 ...
- No cure needed for these summertime blues: The berry best recipes start with a breakfast cakeon July 21, 2022 at 4:58 am
Blueberry season is nearly over here in south ... Add a scant tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice to one cup of regular milk and mix. 1¾ cup all-purpose or whole wheat flour 1.
- Savor the summer with 4 berry tasty recipeson July 19, 2022 at 5:00 pm
But it was when I roamed around the edge of the property and discovered row upon row of raspberry and blueberry bushes that I knew I had found a home. Every summer I anticipate the arrival of ...
- The owner of Häxan Ferments puts some serious time into her vinegars — and puts her vinegar in these Summer Blueberry Merlot Barson July 12, 2022 at 11:06 am
shortbreadlike crust topped with a luscious deep-purple blueberry curd. There’s ¼ cup of vinegar in the curd — but the vinegar doesn’t immediately announce itself in the finished product.
- It's good to be blue when it's blueberry season in the Triadon July 12, 2022 at 8:05 am
The one time I really enjoy feeling blue is every July in the Triad when local blueberries start coming in. Blueberries ripen as early as June in Eastern North Carolina and typically start ...
- Recipe exchange: Looking for ways to use zucchini, plus delicious blueberry buckleon July 11, 2022 at 4:04 am
It is packed with blueberry flavor ... Cut in butter until particles resemble coarse crumbs. Sprinkle with vinegar. Shape into dough with lightly floured fingers and press into 9 inch spring ...
via Google News and Bing News