Compounds of apples can promote brain function

Natural compounds found in apples and other fruits can help stimulate the production of new brain cells, which can have consequences for learning and memory, according to a new study among mice in Stem Cell Reports.

Chemicals found in plants, called phytonutrients, such as resveratrol in red grapes or epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) in green tea, can have positive effects on various parts of the body, including the brain. Researchers Tara Louise Walker, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia and Gerd Kempermann, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Dresden, Germany, and colleagues found that high concentrations of phytonutrients from apples stimulate the generation of new neurons, a process called neurogenesis .

The study showed that laboratory-grown stem cells from adult mouse brains generate more neurons and are protected against cell death when quercetin or dihydroxybezoic acid (DHBA), phytonutrients commonly found in apples, are added to cultures. Subsequent tests in mice showed that stem cells in different structures of the adult brain associated with learning and memory multiply and generate more neurons when the mice received high doses of quercetin or DHBA. The effects on neurogenesis were similar to effects seen after physical exercise, a well-known stimulus for neurogenesis.

This study suggests that natural compounds in fruits, such as quercetin, DHBA and possibly others, may act in synergy to promote neurogenesis and brain function when given in high concentrations.

Future studies will be needed to determine if these and other phytonutrients can improve learning and cognitive function in animal models and in humans.

Provided by the International Society for Stem Cell Research