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Short-term Aronia melanocarpa extract supplementation improves cognitive performance: a randomized, double-blind,
Sanne Ahles1,2, Peter J Joris1, Jogchum Plat3
1Department of Nutrition and Movement Sciences, Institute of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism (NUTRIM), Maastricht University, 6200 MD, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Purpose:
Evidence on the potential beneficial effects of anthocyanin-rich foods and supplements on cognitive performance is mainly based on acute or long-term studies in older adults. However, short-term studies focusing on a younger population are lacking. Therefore, short-term effects of Aronia melanocarpa extract (AME) supplementation on cognitive performance were investigated in healthy young adults. Potential underlying mechanisms were also addressed.
Methods:
A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over study was performed involving 35 apparently healthy young adults. Participants consumed AME (180 mg anthocyanins/day) or a placebo for 1 week, separated by at least 2 weeks of wash-out. Cognitive performance was assessed using the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB). Furthermore, arterial stiffness (carotid-to-femoral pulse wave velocity), retinal microvascular calibers (fundus photography), and serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) concentrations were measured at baseline and after 1 week.
Results:
Participants had a mean age of 25 ± 4 years and an average BMI of 23.4 ± 2.7 kg/m2. Compliance was excellent and the study product was well-tolerated. As compared to placebo, movement time was significantly reduced by 4.8% within the five-choice reaction time test after 1 week of AME supplementation (intervention effect: - 12 ms; p < 0.05). Memory and executive function did however not change. Serum BDNF concentrations were significantly higher after AME supplementation as compared to placebo (+ 5.7%; intervention effect: 1.8 ng/mL; p < 0.05). However, arterial stiffness and retinal microvascular calibers were not affected.
Conclusion:
Short-term AME supplementation beneficially affected cognitive performance as attention and psychomotor speed improved. Serum BDNF concentrations were increased, but vascular function markers were not affected.
Clinical Trial Registration:
The study was registered on Clinical Trials under NCT03793777 on January 4th, 2019.
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