Effects of blackcurrant juice on pre-frontal cortical haemodynamics and cognition in healthy young adults

Background Evidence from randomised controlled trials demonstrates the modulatory effects of polyphenol consumption on the vascular system including improvements to cortical blood flow (CBF), microvascular blood flow, and large artery plasticity. Polyphenol-rich blackcurrants have been shown to inhibit monoamine oxidase, modulate brainwave spectral activity and modulate peripheral blood flow. This study assessed whether blackcurrant consumption can modulate blood flow in the shallow pre-frontal cortex, as measured using near infrared spectroscopy, during rest and under cognitive demand.