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Enhanced neural activation with blueberry supplementation in mild cognitive impairment
Boespflug EL, Eliassen JC, Dudley JA, Shidler MD, Kalt W, Summer SS, Stein AL, Stover AN et al.. Nutritional neuroscience, 2017-02-21
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Objectives Preclinical studies have shown that blueberry supplementation can improve cognitive performance and neural function in aged animals and have identified associations between anthocyanins and such benefits. Preliminary human trials also suggest cognitive improvement in older adults, although direct evidence of enhancement of brain function has not been demonstrated. In this study, we investigated the effect of blueberry supplementation on regional brain activation in older adults at risk for dementia. Methods In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial we performed pre- and post-intervention functional magnetic resonance imaging during a working memory (WM) task to assess the effect of blueberry supplementation on blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signal in older adults with mild cognitive impairment, a risk condition for dementia. Results Following daily supplementation for 16 weeks, blueberry-treated participants exhibited increased BOLD activation in the left pre-central gyrus, left middle frontal gyrus, and left inferior parietal lobe during WM load conditions (corrected P Discussion These data demonstrate, for the first time, enhanced neural response during WM challenge in blueberry-treated older adults with cognitive decline and are consistent with prior trials showing neurocognitive benefit with blueberry supplementation in this at-risk population.
Key findings
- Objectives Preclinical studies have shown that blueberry supplementation can improve cognitive performance and neural function in aged animals and have identified associations between anthocyanins and such benefits.
- Preliminary human trials also suggest cognitive improvement in older adults, although direct evidence of enhancement of brain function has not been demonstrated.
- Results Following daily supplementation for 16 weeks, blueberry-treated participants exhibited increased BOLD activation in the left pre-central gyrus, left middle frontal gyrus, and left inferior parietal lobe during WM load conditions (corrected P < 0.01).
Why it matters
In a small randomized trial, older adults with mild cognitive impairment who took blueberry supplements for 16 weeks showed increased brain activation during a working memory task. This is preliminary evidence of enhanced neural response and is consistent with prior trials showing neurocognitive benefit in this at-risk group.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthHigh
How this study scored 63/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a randomised controlled trial. Scored zero for sample size and effect reported because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Nutritional neuroscience) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | Nutritional Neuroscience: journal h-index 99 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 11 / 12 | A randomised controlled trial (from PubMed type “Randomized Controlled Trial”) |
| Strength of evidence | 5 / 5 | Rated “high” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 2 / 5 | 2018 — within 10 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (pubmed indexes it as a clinical or observational study) |
| Randomised / blinded | 2 / 2 | Randomised and blinded or placebo-controlled (as stated in the record) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 169 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 16.9 citations a year over 10 year(s) since 2018 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 5.7× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 1 / 6 | Cited by 2 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 56 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Robert Krikorian: h-index 32 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | University of Cincinnati: institution h-index 918 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 5 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 28221821) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 63 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
- DOI: 10.1080/1028415x.2017.1287833
- PubMed: 28221821
- Original source →
- Free full text: PubMed Central →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Boespflug, E. L., Eliassen, J. C., Dudley, J. A., Shidler, M. D., Kalt, W., Summer, S. S., et al. (2018). Enhanced neural activation with blueberry supplementation in mild cognitive impairment. Nutritional neuroscience. https://doi.org/10.1080/1028415x.2017.1287833
Vancouver
Boespflug EL, Eliassen JC, Dudley JA, Shidler MD, Kalt W, Summer SS, et al. Enhanced neural activation with blueberry supplementation in mild cognitive impairment. Nutritional neuroscience. 2018. doi:10.1080/1028415x.2017.1287833. PMID: 28221821.
BibTeX
@article{boespflug2018-28221821,
author = {Boespflug, E. L. and Eliassen, J. C. and Dudley, J. A. and Shidler, M. D. and Kalt, W. and Summer, S. S. and Stein, A. L. and Stover, A. N. and others},
title = {{Enhanced neural activation with blueberry supplementation in mild cognitive impairment}},
journal = {Nutritional neuroscience},
year = {2018},
doi = {10.1080/1028415x.2017.1287833},
pmid = {28221821},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1080/1028415x.2017.1287833}
}
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