healthmedicinet

Berries could play an important role in clearing the accumulation of toxic proteins in the brain, according to a new study in mice.

The research, presented at the Experimental Biology 2013 meeting, showed that the brains of rats that consumed berries for two months were better protected against radiation, which is meant to induce accelerated aging in the mice.

Specifically, researchers found that the berry consumption was linked with increased autophagy, which is the natural process the brain undergoes to clear out accumulation of toxic proteins. They noted that phytonutrients — plant chemicals — in berries may be responsible for this effect; berries are known to be high in anthocyanins.

Researchers said that the findings could be especially meaningful if they also apply to humans, since diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease involve accumulation of toxic proteins. The next step is a study, currently being conducted, on humans ages 60 to 75 to see if berries’ have the same sort of effect.

Even though the findings have yet to be published in a peer-reviewed journal — and thus should be considered preliminary — a past study from Harvard researchers showed that eating berries regularly could help slow cognitive decline in older people, HuffPost’s Catherine Pearson reported.

For more great brain foods, click through the slideshow:

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• Walnuts

  Walnuts are chock-full of heart-healthy and anti-inflammatory nutrients, and are the only good nut source of alpha linolenic acid (ALA), a href=”http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/29/healthy-food-healthiest-list_n_1636409.html#slide=1162293?HuffPost Healthy Living earlier reported/a. That means they help promote blood flow, which in turn allows for efficient delivery of oxygen to the brain.

  And a href=”Diseasehttp://alzheimers.org.uk/site/scripts/news_article.php?newsID=730?research presented at the 2010 International Conference on Alzheimer’s/a found that mice with the disease who were regularly fed walnuts had improved memory, learning and motor skill coordination, a href=”http://www.myhealthnewsdaily.com/758-best-foods-brain-health.html”according to MyHealthNewsDaily/a.

• Olive Oil

  Olive oil is a great source of monounsaturated fats, which have been shown to a href=”http://www.boston.com/dailydose/2012/05/18/tweaking-dietary-fat-intake-could-help-slow-brain-aging-study-suggests/OO7tmvxhB2E8V0algT7DlL/story.html”actually emslow/em brain aging/a.

• Berries

  Animal studies have long indicated a link between berry consumption and brain health. But a recent study published in the emAnnals of Neurology/em found that a diet high in blueberries, strawberries and others were linked to a a href=”http://healthland.time.com/2012/04/26/brain-food-berries-can-slow-cognitive-decline/”slower mental decline in areas like memory and focus/a in a large sample of middle-aged women, reported emTIME/em’s Alice Park.

• Sardines

  Fatty fish like sardines (a href=”http://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/slideshow-brain-foods-that-help-you-concentrate”and salmon!/a) are a well-known brain booster, thanks to the omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA, which a href=”http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/questions/omega-3/index.html”have been linked to lower risk of dementia, improved focus and memory/a.

• Coffee

  Caffeine, the mild stimulant found in coffee, improves mental acuity, though the drink’s enthusiasts — a href=”http://www.bbc.co.uk/sn/humanbody/truthaboutfood/best/caffeinebrain.shtml”who guzzle 120,000 tons of the stuff each year/a — likely already know that.

  Aside from caffeine’s brain boosting effects, coffee’s antioxidant richness helps maintain brain health. And some research suggests that drinking coffee can actually a href=”http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/27/coffee-cuts-depression-women_n_982122.html”stave off depression in women/a.

• Spinach

  Spinach is rich in the antioxidant lutein, which is thought to help protect against cognitive decline, a href=”http://www.nutraconference.com/networknow/public/SessionDetails.aspx?SessionID=1004689FromPage=nz_ALSessionSearch.aspx”according to researchers from Tufts University/a.

  And a href=”http://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/diet-tips/11-best-foods-your-brain?page=11?a longitudinal study at Harvard Medical School/a found that women who reported eating the most leafy green and cruciferous vegetables had a markedly lower rate of cognitive decline, compared to those who ate the least.

• Dark Chocolate

  Antioxidant-rich dark chocolate is healthy for your whole body, but its a href=”http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/18/brain-health-foods_n_1593650.html#slide=1087860?caffeine content is thought to play a role/a in maintaining mental acuity.

  What’s more, chocolate is rich in flavonoids, a class of antioxidant that helps to improve blood flow (and thus brain health) by regulating cholesterol and lowering blood pressure.

• Avocados

  Avocados are full of monounsaturated fats that a href=”http://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/slideshow-brain-foods-that-help-you-concentrate”improve vascular health and blood flow/a, making them another brain food.

• Water

  When a person becomes dehydrated, their brain tissue actually shrinks. And several studies have shown that a href=”http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20336685?dehydration can affect cognitive function/a.

  Dehydration can impair short-term memory, focus and decision making, a href=”http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/you-illuminated/201010/why-your-brain-needs-water”according to emPsychology Today/em/a.

• Wheat Germ

  Wheat germ is a rich vegetarian source of choline — a nutrient that is involved in the body’s production of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that boosts memory, a href=”http://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/diet-tips/11-best-foods-your-brain” target=”_hplink”according to emShape/em/a.

  Eggs are another good choline source.

• Beets

  Beets are a good source of naturally-occurring nitrates, which help improve blood flow to the brain, a href=”http://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/diet-tips/11-best-foods-your-brain”according to emShape/em/a.

• Garlic

  Garlic may help stave off some forms of brain cancer, according to research published in emCancer/em, the medical journal of the American Cancer Society. Investigators found that a href=”organo-sulfur compounds found in garlic have been identified as effective against glioblastoma”the organo-sulfur compounds in garlic actually worked to kill glioblastoma cells/a — a type of malignant tumor cell.