BOSTON, Aug. 4 (UPI) -- Strawberries and blueberries may help protect against the decline in learning and motor skills commonly seen with aging, say Boston researchers.
The study, published online in Neurobiology of Aging, was conducted by researchers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston.
In an experimental model of aging, supplementing the diet with either strawberries or blueberries helped preserve the animals' ability to learn, remember and relearn different patterns in a maze.
"This study suggests that there may be dietary strategies that help delay the decline of cognitive skills that is experienced through the normal aging process," says study co-author Jim Joseph, a USDA scientist.
"Adding strawberries and blueberries to the diet may help preserve learning and motor skills as we age."
Strawberries and blueberries are rich in antioxidants that help protect against oxidative stress.
