Chapter 8: Neuroprotective Mechanisms of Berry Bioavailable Polyphenol Metabolites

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) affect millions of people worldwide and due to the aging population, these numbers will steadily grow. Several mechanisms underlying NDDs have been proposed, such as protein aggregation, inflammation, and oxidative stress, among others, yet new drugs fail to tackle all these mechanisms. Berries and their bioactive (poly)phenols have been vastly described as potential modulators of such mechanisms, with great nutritional potential. Notwithstanding, berry consumption leads to the creation of a vast array of microbiota (poly)phenol metabolites that have been proven to affect these mechanisms. Herein we will discuss the mechanisms of several NDDs and the potential of berry flavonoids, in particular anthocyanins, and their metabolites in tackling the mechanisms behind the onset and the progression of NDDs in an effort to elucidate potential targets and new trends in the future of neurodegenerative research.