A team of researchers from the Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada, suggested that blueberries may help in the treatment of Parkinson's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders.
To reach this conclusion, the scientists studied the alpha-synuclein, a nuclear and synaptic protein located in the brain, which has proven to be the key in the development of Parkinson's. For the study, researchers injected this gene into fruit flies, causing them to suffer a number of problems, such as retina degeneration and reduction of their life span.
After this, they wished to check if the blueberry extract, which is particularly rich in fibre, antioxidants and phytonutrients, could enhance the effects of alpha-synuclein. The result revealed that the flies that were fed blueberry extract lived up to 15% longer than those who followed a standard diet. Their eye problems likewise improved, leading to the conclusion that blueberries are beneficial in tackling the symptoms of the disease in fruit flies.
According to Brian Staveley, co-author of the study, "the increase in life expectancy seen in fruit flies is the equivalent of an extended life span of 8 years in humans."