The researchers found similar results in a lab test on fruit flies – the more fruit they ate before giving birth, the better the offspring did in specially adapted memory tests.
Because the results are similar, the researchers say it rules out factors that could affect the results such as social class, education or whether the babies were breastfed or not, for instance.
And it suggests the cause may be down to is known as a ‘cyclic adenylate monophosphate pathway’ – or cAMP – which is found in both flies and humans.
This pathway regulates the body’s proteins and chemicals, how cells bind together and the function of areas of the brain including the prefrontal cortex, responsible for ‘higher order thinking.’
The study suggests this pathway may be particularly susceptible to the benefits of fruit during gestation in both women and female flies.
The report noted: ‘Mothers who ate more fruit during pregnancy had children who did better on developmental testing at 1 year of age.
‘Similarly, fruit flies had improved learning and memory if their parents had more fruit juice in their diet.
‘In both humans and in the flies, there was no improvement in learning when only the babies were fed fruit.
‘The cyclic adenylate monophosphate (cAMP) pathway may be a major regulator of this effect.’
The researchers found similar results in a lab test on fruit flies – the more fruit they ate before giving birth, the better the offspring did in specially adapted memory tests.
Because the results are similar, the researchers say it rules out factors that could affect the results such as social class, education or whether the babies were breastfed or not, for instance.
And it suggests the cause may be down to is known as a ‘cyclic adenylate monophosphate pathway’ – or cAMP – which is found in both flies and humans.
This pathway regulates the body’s proteins and chemicals, how cells bind together and the function of areas of the brain including the prefrontal cortex, responsible for ‘higher order thinking.’
The study suggests this pathway may be particularly susceptible to the benefits of fruit during gestation in both women and female flies.
The report noted: ‘Mothers who ate more fruit during pregnancy had children who did better on developmental testing at 1 year of age.
‘Similarly, fruit flies had improved learning and memory if their parents had more fruit juice in their diet.
‘In both humans and in the flies, there was no improvement in learning when only the babies were fed fruit.
‘The cyclic adenylate monophosphate (cAMP) pathway may be a major regulator of this effect.’
(Daily Mail)
