Scott Bauer, U.S. Department of Agriculture [Public domain] via Wikimedia CommonsPost-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a prolonged stress response to a traumatic event that can impair a person’s ability to function in everyday life. It is associated with increased oxidative stress and inflammation in the brain and with dysregulation of neurotransmitters (specifically, low levels of serotonin and high levels of norepinephrine). Compounds that increase serotonin levels are the only approved therapy for PTSD, but their efficacy is marginal. Researchers at Louisiana State University (Baton Rouge) investigated whether blueberries, a ‘superfood’ with high antioxidant activity, could modulate neurotransmitter levels in a rat model of PTSD.
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