The New Nation - Internet Edition

Professor M Zahidul Haque

ARE you worried about getting forgetful due to old age? Nothing to worry about! A research team from the University of Reading and the Peninsula Medical School,UK have some good news for you!

A multidisciplinary research team led by Dr.Jeremy Spencer of Molecular Nutrition Department at the University of Reading through supplementing a regular diet with blueberries over a 12-week period found that improvements in sapatial working memory tasks emerged within three weeks and continued throughout the period of the study.

The question is how blueberries work in reversing age-related memory problems? Blueberries are less familiar in our country. Although blueberries are native to North America, they are now grown in Europe and Asia too.

These are flowering plants in the genus Vaccinium. blueberry plants are shrubs varrying in size from 10 cm to 4 m tall. The fruit is a berry, 5-16 mm diameter with a flared crown at the end and takes indigo colour on ripening. Matured blueberries have a sweet taste.

Blueberries contain flavonoids, in particular anthocyanins and flavanols. They also contain certain other antioxident phytochemicals. It has been found by the researchers of Reading and Peninsula Medical School that these plant derived molecules(of flavonoids) affect the human brain, they have been shown to cross blood brain barrier after dietary intake.

As a consequence, they exert their effects on learning and memory by enhancing existing neural (brain cell) connections, improving cellular communications and stimulating neuronal regeneration.

The research team was also able to show that the ability of flavonoids to induce memory improvements are mediated by the activation of signalling proteins via a specific pathway in the hippocampus(the part of the brain that controls learning and memory).

Dr Spencer of Reading University commented - "Impaired or failing memory as we get older is one of life's inconveniences, scientists have known of the potential health benefits of diets rich in fresh fruits for a long time.

Our previous work had suggested that flavonoid compounds had some kind of effect on memory, but until now we had not known the potential mechanisms to account for this".

It may be indicated here that one cup(145g) of blueberries provides 31% of dietary reference intake for vitamin C, 16% for fibre, 20% for manganese and 7% for vitamin E with a low glycemic load.Dr.Whiteman, another member of Reading-Peninsula research team while commenting on their research findings said - "This study not only adds science to the claim that eating blueberries are good for you, it also provideds support to a diet-based approach that could potentially be used to increase memory capacity and performance in the future.

Blueberries are not only a treat for memory upgradation but they are effective against certain diseases.

Consumption of blueberries lowers cholesterol and total blood lipid levels and control blood pressure.

Research findings show that the blueberries are capable of preventing urinary tract infections.Perhaps govt. research stations, private agricultural farms can try to grow blueberries in our country as we have successfully grown strawberries recently.

[The author is Chairman, Department of Agricultural Extension & Information System, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University,Dhaka and Overseas Secretary (Hon), Bangladesh of the University of Reading UK.]