BALTIMORE--A diet rich in spinach, blueberries and spirulina limits brain cell death and improves recovery of movement following a stroke, according to a study published in Experimental Neurology (193, 1:75-84, 2005) (www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/00144886).

Adult male rats were administered diets high in blueberries, spinach or spirulina, or a control diet for four weeks, then anesthetized. Stroke was induced and the animals' brains were removed for examination. A subgroup of animals was studied for stroke-induced changes in locomotion and biochemistry. Rats fed the blueberry-, spinach- or spirulina-enriched diets experienced less severe stroke in the cerebral cortex and less inhibition of movement following stroke. No differences in blood biochemistry, blood carbon dioxide and electrolyte levels were noted among the test groups, suggesting the protection against neural damage may have been mediated through changes in physiological functions.

The researchers concluded the results of the study suggest regular ingestion of blueberry, spinach or spirulina reduces apoptosis due to stroke.