Blueberries may unlock the mystery of Alzheimer's and other brain diseases, according to a new joint study by scientific institutes in Boston, Baltimore, and Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Researchers believe the lowly blueberry may hold the key to preventing or at least slowing down several different diseases that ravage mental abilities while leaving physical health untouched. 

Experiments on rats treated to come down with aging illnesses showed that those with blueberries in their diet had less brain cell loss and overall better brain behavior than those on a diet without blueberries. Scientists believe the rich supply of anti-oxidants in blueberries, which are already known to help prevent heart disease, may also help slow brain deterioration. 

A spokesman for the journal Neurobiology of Aging, which published the study, said, "Blueberries have long been dubbed a wonder fruit. Scientists have discovered yet another reason why the blueberry lives up to its reputation."