Cognition: the new frontier for nuts and berries.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to determine the effects of nut and berry consumption on brain health, cognition, and potential benefits in preventing neurodegenerative diseases.
Results Summary
The study found that nut and berry consumption is associated with reduced oxidative damage, inflammation, and improved cognitive performance, potentially delaying neurodegeneration. Regular intake may serve as an adjunctive therapeutic strategy for age-related brain dysfunction.
Population
Humans and animals (general population, with focus on aging and neurodegenerative disease prevention).
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
Moderate-duration (exact length not specified)
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
inclusion of nuts in the diet | decrease | coronary artery disease | - | - | associated with a decreased risk | #1 |
inclusion of nuts in the diet | decrease | hypertension | - | - | associated with a decreased risk | #2 |
inclusion of nuts in the diet | decrease | gallstones | - | - | associated with a decreased risk | #3 |
inclusion of nuts in the diet | decrease | diabetes | - | - | associated with a decreased risk | #4 |
inclusion of nuts in the diet | decrease | cancer | - | - | associated with a decreased risk | #5 |
inclusion of nuts in the diet | decrease | metabolic syndrome | - | - | associated with a decreased risk | #6 |
inclusion of nuts in the diet | decrease | visceral obesity | - | - | associated with a decreased risk | #7 |
frequent consumption of berries | increase | cardiovascular outcomes | - | - | seems to be associated with improved | #8 |
frequent consumption of berries | increase | cancer outcomes | - | - | seems to be associated with improved | #9 |
frequent consumption of berries | increase | immune function | - | - | seems to be associated with improved | #10 |
frequent consumption of berries | decrease | recurrence of urinary tract infections | - | - | seems to be associated with decreased | #11 |
consumption of nuts and berries | decrease | oxidative damage | - | - | associated with reduction in | #12 |
consumption of nuts and berries | decrease | inflammation | - | - | associated with reduction in | #13 |
consumption of nuts and berries | decrease | vascular reactivity | - | - | associated with reduction in | #14 |
consumption of nuts and berries | decrease | platelet aggregation | - | - | associated with reduction in | #15 |
consumption of nuts and berries | increase | immune functions | - | - | associated with improvement in | #16 |
nut and berry consumption | increase | the brain | - | - | can have a beneficial effect on | #17 |
nut and berry consumption | increase | cognition | - | - | can have a beneficial effect on | #18 |
regular nut consumption, berry consumption, or both | neutral | neurodegenerative diseases | - | - | could possibly be used as an adjunctive therapeutic strategy in the treatment and prevention | #19 |
regular nut consumption, berry consumption, or both | neutral | age-related brain dysfunction | - | - | could possibly be used as an adjunctive therapeutic strategy in the treatment and prevention | #20 |
moderate-duration dietary supplementation with nuts, berry fruit, or both | neutral | cognitive performance | humans | - | is capable of altering | #21 |
moderate-duration dietary supplementation with nuts, berry fruit, or both | decrease | neurodegeneration in aging | - | - | perhaps forestalling or reversing the effects | #22 |
The inclusion of nuts in the diet is associated with a decreased risk of coronary artery disease, hypertension, gallstones, diabetes, cancer, metabolic syndrome, and visceral obesity. Frequent consumption of berries seems to be associated with improved cardiovascular and cancer outcomes, improved immune function, and decreased recurrence of urinary tract infections; the consumption of nuts and berries is associated with reduction in oxidative damage, inflammation, vascular reactivity, and platelet aggregation, and improvement in immune functions. However, only recently have the effects of nut and berry consumption on the brain, different neural systems, and cognition been studied. There is growing evidence that the synergy and interaction of all of the nutrients and other bioactive components in nuts and berries can have a beneficial effect on the brain and cognition. Regular nut consumption, berry consumption, or both could possibly be used as an adjunctive therapeutic strategy in the treatment and prevention of several neurodegenerative diseases and age-related brain dysfunction. A number of animal and a growing number of human studies show that moderate-duration dietary supplementation with nuts, berry fruit, or both is capable of altering cognitive performance in humans, perhaps forestalling or reversing the effects of neurodegeneration in aging.