Diet High In Fruit May Help Alzheimer's

By Dr. Brian McDonough, Medical Editor

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - We have not made many major breakthroughs in the treatment of Alzheimer's but one thing is true - we are spending a great deal of time and research in our attempts. And that is not a bad thing because sooner or later we may succeed.

The latest information is from the journal Aging Cell in which there is a report that a compound found in strawberries may potentially help in the prevention of Alzheimer's disease.

In the study, mice that carried the genes for Alzheimer's were fed fisetin. Fisetin is a flavonol found in a number of fruits and vegetables. What they found is that the cognitive abilities of the mice improved. After one year, the fisetin-fed mice did not show any sign of decline.

Obviously, more studies will need to be conducted to see if similar effects can be replicated in humans. I like to look at these studies and identify how they can help people now. What I take from it is that a diet high in fruits and vegetables can be helpful regardless of the long-term results of this study.