A recent study published in the journal 'Clinical Nutrition'shows that Brainberry® aronia melanocarpa extract, developed by the French biotechnology company Solabia Nutrition, may help improve spatial working memory in older adults.
Brainberry® is a natural extract derived from the aronia cultivar "Nero Eggert," with a standardized anthocyanin content of 25%. Anthocyanins are key antioxidant flavonoids commonly found in berries.
This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study was conducted jointly by Solabia Nutrition's internal research team and Maastricht University. The study recruited 30 overweight or obese older adults and aimed to assess the effects of aronia melanocarpa extract on cerebrovascular function and cognitive ability.
Aronia melanocarpa extract, rich in anthocyanins.
Impaired cerebrovascular function is a contributing factor to many age-related diseases. Researchers have long sought to improve vascular health through dietary interventions, making the relationship between diet and vascular function a hot research topic. However, the underlying mechanisms by which diet affects cerebrovascular function and cognition remain unclear. Given the central role of cerebrovascular function in cognitive decline, filling this research gap is particularly important.
Anthocyanins have attracted considerable attention due to their potential cognitive benefits. Previous studies have found that chokeberry extract, rich in anthocyanins, can effectively improve psychomotor speed and attention in healthy adults; systematic reviews also suggest that anthocyanins may have a positive effect on improving cognitive function and peripheral vascular function.
However, current evidence regarding the effects of anthocyanins on cerebrovascular function is inconsistent. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate whether continuous 6-week supplementation with chokeberry extract could improve cerebrovascular function in overweight or obese older adults.
Chokeberry extract significantly improved executive function.
The study included healthy older men and postmenopausal women. Participants completed two 6-week intervention programs, randomly assigned to receive either chokeberry extract or a placebo, with a washout period of at least 6 weeks between the intervention programs. Participants underwent standardized morning visits in a fasting, temperature-controlled environment at baseline and after each intervention program.
This study employed a double-blind design. Participants took one capsule containing 160 mg of chokeberry extract (containing 40 mg of anthocyanins) daily before breakfast, or a placebo (cellulose) with the same appearance. The research team collected blood samples from participants before and after the intervention, measured anthropometric parameters, vascular and retinal parameters, assessed cognitive abilities using a computer-automated testing system, and quantified cerebrovascular function using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
The results showed that chokeberry extract did not alter cerebral blood flow (CBF) in most brain regions, and in fact, blood flow decreased in a small area of the brain associated with emotion and decision-making. However, despite the lack of a significant increase in CBF, participants' executive functions significantly improved. The study found that participants reduced their error rate by 20% when performing tasks requiring planning, spatial memory, and information processing.
Researchers stated, "Since there was no increase in blood flow to brain regions closely related to cognitive processes, and peripheral vascular function indicators remained unchanged, it can be inferred that the cognitive improvement induced by aronia berry extract must involve other potential mechanisms."
The researchers pointed out that although in vitro and animal experiments have confirmed that anthocyanins can cross the blood-brain barrier, this conclusion still needs further confirmation through invasive methods in human studies. Researchers speculate that after entering the brain, anthocyanins may act directly on neurons by reducing oxidative stress, alleviating inflammation, and reducing cell damage, which may be a key reason for the improved cognitive abilities of participants.
The researchers concluded that future research should attempt to increase the dosage of anthocyanins and prolong the intervention period to further elucidate the long-term benefits of dietary anthocyanin intake on human cognitive function.
