Study Finds Polyphenols May Help Improve Cognitive Function

Polyphenols have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and are found in fruits, vegetables, spices, tea, dark chocolate, and wine. A recent study suggests that a polyphenol-rich extract from grapes and blueberries may help improve working memory and attention

Thirty healthy young adults participated in the study. They consumed 600 mg of a polyphenol-rich extract from grapes and blueberries or a placebo 90 minutes before completing a series of cognitive functioning tests. The tests included serial subtraction tasks, a rapid visual information processing task, and a visual analogical scale. Flow-mediated dilation was also measured.

The researchers found that participants in the polyphenol group had a 2.5-fold increase in serial subtraction net scores compared to the placebo group. Improvements were seen in the total number of answers, the total number of correct answers, and the percentage of correct answers. The polyphenol group also showed improvements in the percentage of correct answers in the rapid visual information processing task compared to the placebo group.

No effects on flow-mediated dilation were seen

The study was conducted by researchers from the University of Bourdeax, the University of Parma, and the University of East Anglia. It was published online ahead of print on December 17, 2019 in the journal Antioxidants.