Long-term memory enhanced by strawberries
20 October 2006
by Carina Lee
A flavinoid called fisetin, commonly found in strawberries and other fruits and vegetables, has been found to increase long-term memory by affecting signaling pathways in the brain, according to research conducted at the Salk Institute of Biological Studies. Besides strawberries, fisetin is also found in tomatoes, onions, oranges, apples, peaches, grapes, kiwifruit and persimmons. Principal researcher of this study, Dr Pamela Maher, found that this particular flavinoid, fisetin, induced the differentiation of neural cells and helped with memory formation. Maher and her research group studied the influence of fisetin on the hippocampus region of the brain – the region responsible for learning and memory. This discovery and its continual investigation proves to be a very beneficial area of medical research with the potential to find an alternative solutions to memory loss and diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Maher explains “Since the development of a basic understanding of the biochemical pathways involved in memory formation, the holy grail of CNS research in the pharmaceutical industry is the identification of a safe, orally active drug that activates memory-associated pathways and enhances memory.” |
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