The Effect of Long-Term Aronia melanocarpa Extract Supplementation on Cognitive Performance, Mood, and Vascular Function: A Randomized Controlled Trial in Healthy, Middle-Aged Individuals

Abstract

Cognitive decline is associated with lifestyle-related factors such as overweight, blood pressure, and dietary composition. Studies have reported beneficial effects of dietary anthocyanins on cognition in older adults and children. However, the effect of anthocyanin-rich Aronia melanocarpa extract (AME) on cognition is unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the effect of long-term supplementation with AME on cognitive performance, mood, and vascular function in healthy, middle-aged, overweight adults. In a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled parallel study, 101 participants either consumed 90 mg AME, 150 mg AME, or placebo for 24 weeks. The grooved pegboard test, number cross-out test, and Stroop test were performed as measures for psychomotor speed, attention, and cognitive flexibility. Mood was evaluated with a visual analogue scale, serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) was determined, and vascular function was assessed by carotid ultrasounds and blood pressure measurements. AME improved psychomotor speed compared to placebo (90 mg AME: change = −3.37; p = 0.009). Furthermore, 150 mg AME decreased brachial diastolic blood pressure compared to 90 mg AME (change = 2.44; p = 0.011), but not compared to placebo. Attention, cognitive flexibility, BDNF, and other vascular parameters were not affected. In conclusion, AME supplementation showed an indication of beneficial effects on cognitive performance and blood pressure in individuals at risk of cognitive decline.

Effects of Berry Anthocyanins on Cognitive Performance, Vascular Function and Cardiometabolic Risk Markers: A Systematic Review of Randomized Placebo-Controlled Intervention Studies in Humans

“…Moreover, three studies reported effects on both cognitive performance and cardiometabolic risk markers, one on cognitive performance and vascular function, and seventeen studies on cardiometabolic risk markers and vascular function. Finally, we performed an intervention trial that addressed, for the first time, anthocyanin-induced effects on cognitive performance and underlying mechanisms (i.e., vascular function and cardiometabolic risk markers) [ 31 ]. With the exception of nine articles, the anthocyanin content of the intervention product was provided in all articles and ranged from 1.35–724 mg/day.…”

“…Whyte et al [ 73 ] evaluated two dosages of a blueberry intervention and reported increased performance on the modified flanker test (MFT) after supplementation with the higher dose (254 mg anthocyanins). In an early study, our group evaluated the effect of two concentrations of a chokeberry extract and reported improved performance on the grooved pegboard test (GPT) after supplementation with the lower concentration (16 mg anthocyanins), but not with the higher concentration (27 mg anthocyanins) [ 31 ]. Scores on the five-choice reaction time task (FCRTT) were improved after supplementation with a blackcurrant juice in healthy young adults [ 71 ] but not with a blackcurrant extract in healthy older adults [ 41 ].…”

“…Blueberry juice improved scores on the AMT in middle aged adults [ 70 ]. For the other tests, no significant effects were observed [ 31 , 41 , 71 ].…”

“…In the other studies, no significant changes for the TMT-B were reported [ 54 , 58 , 59 ]. Studies that used the Stroop test did not observe any changes [ 31 , 36 , 72 , 75 ]. The Go-no-Go test was used in 3 studies by the same research group.…”

“…Regarding the dose, interestingly, beneficial effects on cognitive performance parameters were not necessarily observed in those studies that used the highest amounts of anthocyanins. For example, favorable effects on attention and psychomotor speed were observed in healthy middle-aged adults after supplementation with a chokeberry extract containing 16 mg of anthocyanins [ 31 ], but not in healthy older adults after 230.4 mg anthocyanin supplementation using a blueberry powder [ 59 ]. This suggests that the effect of the intervention does not only depend on the amount of anthocyanin provided, but could for example also be affected by the composition of the intervention product.…”