The Pomegranate Memory Study at UCLA

photo cred: LeParcDeFruit.com

UCLA Longevity Center is doing a study on the effects of pomegranate juice on boosting an older person's memory retention.  Older person means one must be 50 or older, so I fit the bill. I feel that as I have been aging, my memory is definitely not as good as before.  Specifically, I have a difficult time remembering words or names.  Often, the words are at the tip of my tongue, and I want to use them, but I can't seem to remember how to say those words, leaving me feeling frustrated and stupid.  Other signs are when I enter a room intending to do something, but I can't recall why I went in there for in the first place.  I have to retrace my steps to what I was doing previously hoping to trigger something in my memory that will allow me to remember why I was prompted to go to that room.  Senior moments, I tell myself.

When my friend told me about the study, I decided to participate.  This is a year long study whereby I will be provided pomegranate juice (or a placebo) to drink every day for a year.  The juice is sent via UPS to my house and I have to go in to UCLA for some kind of memory check up five times during this year.  Valet parking is paid for, and I receive $300 at the end of the yearlong study. I like pomegranate juice.  I don't think it can be harmful. If the study shows that it can help memory retention, why not?

On my first visit to UCLA, they asked me some tricky memory questions which I answered pretty well, I believe. , ,   Or would they disqualify me for doing so well? It's a mystery. The questions involved remembering word sequences, listing words that begins with a letter of the alphabet. They also too me to the medical center to draw blood.

Next visit, they will do a more extensive memory test on me and do a brain MRI.  Hmmm.

Stay tuned for future entries on my experience being a medical test subject.