Study Finds Aronia Extract May Help Improve Psychomotor Skills

Psychomotor skills refer to a range of actions involving physical movement related to conscious cognitive processing. Psychomotor ability is measured by looking at an individual’s reaction time to rapid changes in their environment. A new study suggests that supplementation with aronia extract may help improve psychomotor speed.

One hundred and one overweight adults with an average age of 50 participated in the study. They were given 90 mg of aronia extract, 150 mg of aronia extract, or a placebo daily for 24 weeks. Cognitive tests were administered to evaluate psychomotor speed, attention, and cognitive flexibility. Vascular function was measured using carotid ultrasounds and blood pressure measurements.

The researchers found that participants in the 90 mg aronia group saw significantly improved scores for psychomotor speed compared to the placebo group. No significant differences were seen for attention or cognitive flexibility. In addition, participants in the 150 mg aronia group saw a significant improvement in brachial diastolic blood pressure compared to the placebo group.

The study was conducted by researchers from Maastricht University. It was published online ahead of print on August 17, 2020 in the journal Nutrients.