Reversals of age-related declines in neuronal signal transduction, cognitive, and motor behavioral deficits with blueberry, spinach, or strawberry dietary supplementation

Ample research indicates that age-related neuronal-behavioral decrements ar e the result of oxidative stress that may be ameliorated by antioxidants. O ur previous study had shown that rats given dietary supplements of fruit an d vegetable extracts with high antioxidant activity for 8 months beginning at 6 months of age retarded age-related declines in neuronal and cognitive function. The present study showed that such supplements (strawberry, spina ch, or blueberry at 14.8, 9.1, or 18.6 gm of dried aqueous extract per kilo gram of diet, respectively) fed for 8 weeks to 19-month-old Fischer 344 rat s were also effective in reversing age-related deficits in several neuronal and behavioral parameters including: oxotremorine enhancement of K+-evoked release of dopamine from striatal slices, carbachol-stimulated GTPase acti vity, striatal Ca-45 buffering in striatal synaptosomes, motor behavioral p erformance on the rod walking and accelerod tasks, and Morris water maze pe rformance. These findings suggest that, in addition to their known benefici al effects on cancer and heart disease, phytochemicals present in antioxida nt-rich foods may be beneficial in reversing the course of neuronal and beh avioral aging.