Does black chokeberry extract improve cognitive function? Original paper

In this crossover trial in young adults without apparent health conditions, supplementing with black chokeberry extract had little to no effect on cognitive function or vascular function.

Whether supplementing with black chokeberry extract (BCE) improves cognitive function (the primary outcome) in young adults.

The assessed parameters of cognitive function were executive function, memory, and attention/psychomotor speed. The secondary outcomes were arterial stiffness, blood pressure, serum BDNF, and vascular health of the retina.

35 young adults (average age of 25; average BMI of 23; 60% women, 40% men) without apparent health conditions who lived in the Netherlands.

In this 1-week crossover trial, the participants took 750 mg of BCE (providing 180 mg of anthocyanins) or a placebo daily. There was a washout period of at least 2 weeks between the interventions.

The participants were provided with a list of anthocyanin-containing foods and were instructed to refrain from consuming these foods during the study. Cognitive function was assessed using the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery at baseline and the end of each intervention.

Compared to a placebo, BCE improved 1 of 2 measures of attention/psychomotor speed, but there were no other differences in cognitive function between conditions.

For the secondary outcomes, BCE increased serum BDNF compared to a placebo, but this effect was mainly due to serum BDNF decreasing during the placebo condition. There were no other differences between conditions for the secondary outcomes.

One week might not have been enough time for BCE supplementation to improve some of the outcomes evaluated, so further longer-term randomized controlled trials are needed. Additionally, because the participants were young adults without apparent health conditions, the results may not be generalizable to older adults (including people with cognitive impairment) or people with suboptimal vascular health.