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Purpose

The purpose of this study is to determine if increased blueberry intake helps increase brain antioxidant (glutathione) and cerebral blood flow in older adults.

Condition

Eligibility

Eligible Ages
Between 65 Years and 89 Years
Eligible Genders
All
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Inclusion Criteria

  • Speak English as the primary language and be able to read and write. - Good general health with no concomitant diseases - Low berry consumption (≤1 serving/week) - Cognitively normal (Mini-Mental State Exam Score ≥24) - BMI range=18.5-35 kg/m2.

Exclusion Criteria

  • Presence of any central neurological diseases or prior major head trauma with loss of consciousness - Presence of an active unstable and life-threatening systemic illness - Presence of major psychiatric disorders within the past 3 years including depression, anxiety, and alcohol or drug abuse - Presence of diabetes mellitus; metabolic syndrome or uncontrolled hypertension - Use of psychoactive and investigational medications - MRI contraindications (pacemaker, aneurysm clips, artificial heart valves, metal fragments, foreign objects or claustrophobia) - Blueberry or salicylate allergy - Pregnancy

Study Design

Phase
N/A
Study Type
Interventional
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention Model
Parallel Assignment
Primary Purpose
Prevention
Masking
Double (Participant, Investigator)

Arm Groups

ArmDescriptionAssigned Intervention
Experimental
Intervention 		Participants will receive the dietary intervention. Participants will take 1 serving of blueberries/day.
  • Dietary Supplement: Intervention
    26 g packets of freeze-dried blueberries (equivalent to 1 cup of fresh blueberries) will be given to participants to be consumed daily. Participants will be asked to consume 1 packet per day for 3 months.
    Other names:
    • Freeze-dried blueberries
Active Comparator
Control 		Participants will receive a placebo. Participants will take 1 serving of placebo/day.
  • Dietary Supplement: Control
    26 g packets of isocaloric carbohydrate-matched powder will be given to participants to be consumed daily. Participants will be asked to consume 1 packet/day for 3 months.
    Other names:
    • Placebo

Recruiting Locations

University of Kansas Medical Center
Kansas City, Kansas 66160
Contact:
Caitlin Boeckman
913-588-6254
blueberrystudy@kumc.edu

More Details

Status
Recruiting
Sponsor
University of Kansas Medical Center

Study Contact

Caitlin Boeckman
(913)588-6254
blueberrystudy@kumc.edu

Detailed Description

Consuming blueberries may improve brain health of older adults by increasing the antioxidant levels in the brain to protect nerve cells in the aging brain. Researchers think that there may be a relationship between the brain's antioxidant defense system and blueberry intake due to the high antioxidant content in blueberries. This study will investigate if blueberry intake may aid in enhancing glutathione levels and cerebral blood flow using special Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans. Participants will be asked to make a total of up to 4 visits to the research site. Participation will last about 3 months.

Notice

Study information shown on this site is derived from ClinicalTrials.gov (a public registry operated by the National Institutes of Health). The listing of studies provided is not certain to be all studies for which you might be eligible. Furthermore, study eligibility requirements can be difficult to understand and may change over time, so it is wise to speak with your medical care provider and individual research study teams when making decisions related to participation.