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Flavonoids, cognition, and dementia: actions, mechanisms, and potential therapeutic utility for Alzheimer disease
Williams RJ, Spencer JP.. Free radical biology & medicine, 2011-09-17
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
There is increasing evidence that the consumption of flavonoid-rich foods can beneficially influence normal cognitive function. In addition, a growing number of flavonoids have been shown to inhibit the development of Alzheimer disease (AD)-like pathology and to reverse deficits in cognition in rodent models, suggestive of potential therapeutic utility in dementia. The actions of flavonoid-rich foods (e.g., green tea, blueberry, and cocoa) seem to be mediated by the direct interactions of absorbed flavonoids and their metabolites with a number of cellular and molecular targets.
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APA 7th
Williams, R. J., & Spencer, J. P. (2012). Flavonoids, cognition, and dementia: actions, mechanisms, and potential therapeutic utility for Alzheimer disease. Free radical biology & medicine. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2011.09.010
Vancouver
Williams RJ, Spencer JP. Flavonoids, cognition, and dementia: actions, mechanisms, and potential therapeutic utility for Alzheimer disease. Free radical biology & medicine. 2012. doi:10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2011.09.010. PMID: 21982844.
BibTeX
@article{williams2012-21982844,
author = {Williams, R. J. and Spencer, J. P.},
title = {{Flavonoids, cognition, and dementia: actions, mechanisms, and potential therapeutic utility for Alzheimer disease}},
journal = {Free radical biology \& medicine},
year = {2012},
doi = {10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2011.09.010},
pmid = {21982844},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2011.09.010}
}
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Key findings
- In addition, a growing number of flavonoids have been shown to inhibit the development of Alzheimer disease (AD)-like pathology and to reverse deficits in cognition in rodent models, suggestive of potential therapeutic utility in dementia.
- The actions of flavonoid-rich foods (e.g., green tea, blueberry, and cocoa) seem to be mediated by the direct interactions of absorbed flavonoids and their metabolites with a number of cellular and molecular targets.
- For example, their specific interactions within the ERK and PI3-kinase/Akt signaling pathways, at the level of receptors or kinases, have been shown to increase the expression of neuroprotective and neuromodulatory proteins and increase the number of, and strength of, connections between neurons.
- Concurrently, their effects on the vascular system may also lead to enhancements in cognitive performance through increased brain blood flow and an ability to initiate neurogenesis in the hippocampus.
Why it matters
Flavonoid-rich foods such as green tea, blueberry and cocoa have been shown to reduce Alzheimer-like pathology and reverse cognitive deficits in rodent models. These are animal findings only, so it is not yet known whether they help prevent or treat dementia in people.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 47/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Free radical biology & medicine) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Free Radical Biology and Medicine: journal h-index 378 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2012 — within 20 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 | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 6 / 7 | Cited 448 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 28.0 citations a year over 16 year(s) since 2012 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 16.2× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 4 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 55 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Jeremy P. E. Spencer: h-index 58 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | University of Bath: institution h-index 651 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 21982844) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 47 / 100 | — |
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