Agriculture and Food Bioactive Compounds · Sep 23, 2026
Anthocyanin-rich berries for cognitive health: Biological mechanisms and clinical evidence
By Young M, Martirosyan DM
Cognitive decline is an increasing concern associated with aging, highlighting the need for accessible dietary strategies that support cognitive health. Anthocyanin-rich berries are promising functional foods because their bioactive compounds and metabolites may influence pathways involved in neuroprotection. This narrative review summarizes recent evidence on the effects of berries on cognitive function, emphasizing human intervention studies and potential underlying mechanisms. Evidence from human trials suggests that blueberries, blackcurrants, bilberries, strawberries, chokeberries, and mixed berries may improve selected measures of memory, attention, processing speed, and executive function. Proposed mechanisms include reduced oxidative stress and neuroinflammation, improved vascular function, gut-brain signaling, and modulation of neurotrophic pathways. However, findings remain inconsistent and may depend on berry type, anthocyanin composition, dose, intervention duration, and participant characteristics. Greater standardization of interventions and well-controlled human studies are needed to clarify the cognitive benefits of berry-based functional foods and their translational potential. Novelty of the Review: Unlike recent systematic reviews that have primarily evaluated anthocyanin intake in relation to cognition and vascular function, this review specifically integrates recent berry-focused human intervention evidence with interconnected mechanistic findings to provide a focused perspective on how anthocyanin-rich berries may influence cognitive health through vascular, inflammatory, antioxidant, gut-brain, and neuroprotective pathways. It also highlights current evidence gaps and translates these findings into considerations for developing evidence-based functional foods targeting healthy cognitive aging. Keywords: Anthocyanins; berries; cognitive health and function; neuroprotection; functional foods; healthy aging