Spatial Memory and Antioxidant Protective Effects of Raisin (Currant) in Aged Rats.

Diets rich in fruits and vegetables can prevent age-related diseases. This research was conducted to evaluate the effects of raisin consumption on the spatial memory and morphometric parameters of brain tissue in aging rats. Old rats (20 months of age) were divided into 2 groups: control and raisin, with 6 rats in each group. The raisin group received 6 g of raisins daily in addition to their food and water for 90 days. After treatments, all animals were evaluated by behavioral tests to assess spatial memory and learning alongside other tests including the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), malondialdehyde, and histological examinations. The results showed that there are significant differences in the Morris water task and passive avoidance learning of behavioral tests and biochemical tests (FRAP and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances) between the two groups. The histological study indicated that the cell count of the hippocampus, the diameter of the lateral ventricle, and area of the corpus callosum in the raisin group changed in comparison with the control group but they were not significant. The results demonstrated that raisins significantly raise antioxidant levels in blood and promotes cognitive and motor performance in aging rats.