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October 19, 2006

Brain Chemistry

Strawberry Flavonoid Enhances Memory

Mouse study shows that small molecule mimics peptides to help nerve cells

Sophie L. Rovner

Neurotrophic factors are polypeptides that promote the well-being of nerve cells, but their clinical use for, say, sustaining memory, is limited because the compounds have trouble getting past the blood-brain barrier. Pamela Maher of the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, Calif., and colleagues have now identified the flavonoid fisetin as a small molecule that has several properties of a neurotrophic factor and can be taken orally (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0607822103).

The researchers report that fisetin, which is found in strawberries and other foods, enhances memory in mice by increasing activation of the transcription factor CREB (cAMP response element-binding protein), which is involved in the physical changes in the brain underlying the development of long-term memory.

Chowing down on strawberries isn't a feasible memory-enhancing regimen, Maher warns, because a person would have to eat 10 lb of the fruit per day to obtain a beneficial effect.