Retrospective lifetime dietary patterns predict cognitive performance in community-dwelling older Australians

Dietary intake is a modifiable exposure that may have an impact on cognitive outcomes in older age. The long-term aetiology of cognitive decline and dementia, however, suggests that the relevance of dietary intake extends across the lifetime. In the present study, we tested whether retrospective dietary patterns from the life periods of childhood, early adulthood, adulthood and middle age predicted cognitive performance in a cognitively healthy sample of 352 older Australian adults >65 years. Participants completed the Lifetime Diet Questionnaire and a battery of cognitive tests designed to comprehensively assess multiple cognitive domains. In separate regression models, lifetime dietary patterns were the predictors of cognitive factor scores representing ten constructs derived by confirmatory factor analysis of the cognitive test battery. All regression models were progressively adjusted for the potential confounders of current diet, age, sex, years of education, English as native language, smoking history, income level, apoE ɛ4 status, physical activity, other past dietary patterns and health-related variables. In the adjusted models, lifetime dietary patterns predicted cognitive performance in this sample of older adults. In models additionally adjusted for intake from the other life periods and mechanistic health-related variables, dietary patterns from the childhood period alone reached significance. Higher consumption of the ‘coffee and high-sugar, high-fat extras’ pattern predicted poorer performance on simple/choice reaction time, working memory, retrieval fluency, short-term memory and reasoning. The ‘vegetable and non-processed’ pattern negatively predicted simple/choice reaction time, and the ‘traditional Australian’ pattern positively predicted perceptual speed and retrieval fluency. Identifying early-life dietary antecedents of older-age cognitive performance contributes to formulating strategies for delaying or preventing cognitive decline.

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The Face of Early Cognitive Decline? Shape and Asymmetry Predict Choice Reaction Time Independent of Age, Diet or Exercise

Symmetry ◽

10.3390/sym11111364 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (11) ◽

pp. 1364

Author(s):

Brown ◽

Usacka

Keyword(s):

Reaction Time ◽

Cognitive Decline ◽

Cognitive Performance ◽

Choice Reaction Time ◽

Facial Asymmetry ◽

Developmental Stability ◽

Shape Variation ◽

Product Consumption ◽

Diet And Exercise ◽

Fish Product

Slower reaction time is a measure of cognitive decline and can occur as early as 24 years of age. We are interested if developmental stability predicts cognitive performance independent of age and lifestyle (e.g., diet and exercise). Developmental stability is the latent capacity to buffer ontogenetic stressors and is measured by low fluctuating asymmetry (FA). FA is random—with respect to the largest side—departures from perfect morphological symmetry. The degree of asymmetry has been associated with physical fitness, morbidity, and mortality in many species, including humans. We expected that low FA (independent of age, diet and exercise) will predict faster choice reaction time (i.e., correct keyboard responses to stimuli appearing in a random location on a computer monitor). Eighty-eight university students self-reported their fish product consumption, exercise, had their faces 3D scanned and cognitive performance measured. Unexpectedly, increased fish product consumption was associated with worsened choice reaction time. Facial asymmetry and multiple face shape variation parameters predicted slower choice reaction time independent of sex, age, diet or exercise. Future work should develop longitudinal interventions to minimize early cognitive decline among vulnerable people (e.g., those who have experienced ontogenetic stressors affecting optimal neurocognitive development).

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Individual variation in brain microstructural-cognition relationships in aging

10.1101/2021.02.19.431732 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Raihaan Patel ◽

Clare E. Mackay ◽

Michelle G. Jansen ◽

Gabriel A. Devenyi ◽

M. Clare O’Donoghue ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Decline ◽

Cognitive Performance ◽

Late Life ◽

Older Age ◽

Data Driven ◽

Semantic Fluency ◽

Cognitive Domains ◽

Age Related ◽

Brain Microstructure ◽

Age Related Cognitive Decline

AbstractWhile all individuals are susceptible to age-related cognitive decline, significant inter- and intra-individual variability exists. However, the sources of this variation remain poorly understood. Here, we examined the association between 30-year trajectories of cognitive decline and multimodal indices of brain microstructure and morphology in older age. We used the Whitehall II Study, an extensively characterised cohort using 3T brain magnetic resonance images acquired at older age (mean age = 69.52 ± 4.9) and 5 repeated cognitive performance assessments between mid-life (mean age = 53.2 ± 4.9 years) and late-life (mean age = 67.7 ± 4.9). Using non-negative matrix factorization, we identified 10 brain microstructural components that integrate measures of cortical thickness, surface area, fractional anisotropy, and mean and radial diffusivities. We observed two modes of variance that describe the association between cognition and brain microstructure. The first describes variations in 5 microstructural components associated with low mid-life performance across multiple cognitive domains, decline in reasoning abilities, but a relative maintenance of lexical and semantic fluency from mid-to-late life. The second describes variations in 5 microstructural components that are associated with low mid-life performance in lexical fluency, semantic fluency and short-term memory performance, but a retention of abilities in multiple domains from mid-to-late life. The extent to which a subject loads onto a latent variables predicts their future cognitive performance 3.2 years later (mean age = 70.87 ± 4.9). This data-driven approach highlights a complex pattern of brain-behavior relationships, wherein the same individuals express both decline and maintenance in function across cognitive domains and in brain structural features.Significance StatementAlthough declines in cognitive performance are an established aspect of aging, inter- and intra-individual variation exists. Nevertheless, the sources of this variation remain unclear. We analyse a unique sample to examine associations between 30-year trajectories of cognitive decline and multimodal indices of brain anatomy in older age. Using data-driven techniques, we find that age-related cognitive decline is not uniform. Instead, each individual expresses a mixture of maintenance and decline across cognitive domains, that are associated with a mixture of preservation and degeneration of brain structure. Further, we find the primary determinants of late-life cognitive performance are mid-life performance and higher brain surface area. These results suggest that early and mid-life preventative measures may be needed to reduce age-related cognitive decline.

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Cognitive and mood effects in healthy children during 12 weeks' supplementation with multi-vitamin/minerals

British Journal Of Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s0007114508959213 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 100 (5) ◽

pp. 1086-1096 ◽

Cited By ~ 44

Author(s):

Crystal F. Haskell ◽

Andrew B. Scholey ◽

Philippa A. Jackson ◽

Jade M. Elliott ◽

Margaret A. Defeyter ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Reaction Time ◽

Cognitive Performance ◽

Choice Reaction Time ◽

Spatial Working Memory ◽

Reaction Time Task ◽

Choice Reaction Time Task ◽

Healthy Children ◽

Post Dose ◽

Double Blind ◽

Time Task

Adequate levels of vitamins and minerals are essential for optimal neural functioning. A high proportion of individuals, including children, suffer from deficiencies in one or more vitamins or minerals. This study investigated whether daily supplementation with vitamins/minerals could modulate cognitive performance and mood in healthy children. In this randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel groups investigation, eighty-one healthy children aged from 8 to 14 years underwent laboratory assessments of their cognitive performance and mood pre-dose and at 1 and 3 h post-dose on the first and last days of 12 weeks' supplementation with a commercially available vitamins/mineral product (Pharmaton Kiddi™). Interim assessments were also completed at home after 4 and 8 weeks at 3 h post-dose. Each assessment comprised completion of a cognitive battery, delivered over the Internet, which included tasks assessing mood and the speed and accuracy of attention and aspects of memory (secondary, semantic and spatial working memory). The vitamin/mineral group performed more accurately on two attention tasks: ‘Arrows’ choice reaction time task at 4 and 8 weeks; ‘Arrow Flankers’ choice reaction time task at 4, 8 and 12 weeks. A single task outcome (Picture Recognition errors) evinced significant decrements at 12 weeks. Mood was not modulated in any interpretable manner. Whilst it is possible that the significant improvements following treatment were due to non-significant numerical differences in performance at baseline, these results would seem to suggest that vitamin/mineral supplementation has the potential to improve brain function in healthy children. This proposition requires further investigation.

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Sex differences in the relationship between dietary pattern adherence and cognitive function among older adults: Findings from the NuAge study

10.21203/rs.2.24747/v2 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Danielle D’Amico ◽

Matthew D. Parrott ◽

Carol E. Greenwood ◽

Guylaine Ferland ◽

Pierrette Gaudreau ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Sex Differences ◽

Cognitive Function ◽

Dietary Intake ◽

Cognitive Performance ◽

Dietary Patterns ◽

Dietary Pattern ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Western Dietary Pattern ◽

The Relationship

Abstract Background: Consumption of a prudent dietary pattern rich in healthy nutrients is associated with enhanced cognitive performance in older adulthood, while a Western dietary pattern low in healthy nutrients is associated with poor age-related cognitive function. Sex differences exist in dietary intake among older adults; however, there is a paucity of research examining the relationship between sex-specific dietary patterns and cognitive function in later life. Methods: The current study aimed to investigate sex differences in the relationship between sex-specific dietary pattern adherence and global cognitive function at baseline and over a 3-year follow-up in 1268 community-dwelling older adults (Mage=74 years, n = 664 women, n = 612 men) from the Quebec Longitudinal Study on Nutrition and Successful Aging (NuAge). A 78-item Food Frequency Questionnaire was used to estimate dietary intake over the previous year. Sex-specific dietary pattern scores were derived using principal component analysis. Global cognition was assessed using the Modified Mini-Mental State Examination (3MS). Results: Adjusted linear mixed effects models indicated that a healthy, prudent dietary pattern was not associated with baseline cognitive performance in men or women. No relationship was found between Western dietary pattern adherence and baseline cognitive function in women. Among men, adherence to an unhealthy, Western dietary pattern was associated with poorer baseline cognitive function (b = -0.652, p = 0.02, 95% CI [-1.22, -0.65]). No association was found between prudent or Western dietary patterns and cognitive change over time in men or women. Conclusions: These findings highlight the importance of conducting sex-based analyses in aging research and suggest that the relationship between dietary pattern adherence and cognitive function in late life may be sex-dependent.

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The Effects of Whole Body Exercise on Choice-Reaction Time Performance

Proceedings of the Human Factors Society Annual Meeting ◽

10.1177/154193127401800421 ◽

1974 ◽

Vol 18 (4) ◽

pp. 476-479

Author(s):

Alan B. Dechovitz ◽

Rodney K. Schutz ◽

Thomas L. Sadosky

Keyword(s):

Reaction Time ◽

Physical Exercise ◽

Cognitive Performance ◽

Choice Reaction Time ◽

Error Rate ◽

Reaction Time Task ◽

Work Load ◽

Bicycle Ergometer ◽

Practical Significance ◽

Whole Body

A study which investigates how cognitive performance is affected by simultaneous, physical exercise is reported. Whole body exercise on a bicycle ergometer at four work loads (30, 60, 120 and 180 watts) and four rates (30, 40, 60 and 90 rpm) for durations of from 5 to 25 minutes were investigated. A two-stage choice reaction time task was performed at one minute intervals prior to, during and after exercise. Psychomotor performance was measured by reaction time and error rate. Although the subjects were fully trained, very pronounced subject differences were noted. The psychomotor response did not vary with work load (watts) or work rate (rpm), and in addition, was not related to the physiological measurements recorded for heart rate and oxygen consumption. Nominal differences in reaction time and error rate were detected during and after exercise; but it was concluded that physical exercise, even if strenuous, does not cause a modification in cognitive performance of practical significance.

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Explaining Upper or Lower Extremity Crossover Effects of Visuomotor Choice Reaction Time Training

Perceptual and Motor Skills ◽

10.1177/0031512519841755 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 126 (4) ◽

pp. 675-693 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Tobias Engeroff ◽

Florian Giesche ◽

Daniel Niederer ◽

Sina Gerten ◽

Jan Wilke ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Reaction Time ◽

Lower Extremity ◽

Upper Extremity ◽

Cognitive Performance ◽

Choice Reaction Time ◽

Current Evidence ◽

Control Group ◽

Domain Specific ◽

Crossover Effects ◽

Before And After

Current evidence indicates a strong relation between improved visuomotor choice reaction time (VMRT) and a reduced risk of lower extremity injury, making both lower- and upper extremity VMRT training paradigms valuable to athletes. This investigation studied as yet unconfirmed crossover effects of upper extremity training on lower extremity performance; and we evaluated underlying relevant perceptual and cognitive adaptations. In this three-armed, randomized, controlled intervention, we used a computerized training device to compare participants receiving four weeks of upper ( n = 12) and lower ( n = 12) extremity VMRT training with a control group ( n = 13) of healthy participants. Collectively, our participants had a mean age of 24.6 years ( SD = 2.2), a mean height of 173 cm ( SD = 10), and a mean weight of 69.6 kg ( SD = 12.1); 57% ( n = 21) were female and 43% ( n = 16) were male. We assessed participants’ upper and lower extremity VMRT performance and domain-specific perceptual and cognitive abilities before and after intervention and analyzed differences between their before and after performances. Lower extremity training enhanced VMRT performances for both lower extremity and crossover upper extremity. Upper extremity training improved VMRT for upper extremity and increased cognitive choice reaction performance but yielded no crossover effects to lower extremity. We found no effects of VMRT training on other domain-specific cognitive performance markers (attention, executive function, memory, or working memory). VMRT training modulated only task-specific cognitive performance and induced crossover effects from lower extremity training to upper extremity performance but not vice versa.

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Abstract P068: Dietary Acculturation in Two Ethnic Populations Has a Differential Impact on Diet Quality

Circulation ◽

10.1161/circ.125.suppl_10.ap068 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 125 (suppl_10) ◽

Author(s):

Kathleen Abu-Saad ◽

Havi Murad ◽

Flora Lubin ◽

Arnona Ziv ◽

Laurence S Freedman ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Dietary Intake ◽

Dietary Patterns ◽

Dairy Products ◽

Dietary Change ◽

Whole Grains ◽

Dietary Acculturation ◽

High Intake ◽

Food Items ◽

Cardiovascular Morbidity And Mortality ◽

Health Related

Introduction: The indigenous Arab minority population in Israel has higher rates of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality than the Jewish immigrant population. Differences in dietary intake may underlie some of these health disparities. We tested the hypothesis that dietary patterns differ by ethnicity. Methods: A population-based, random sample (n=1,100) was selected, stratified by sex, ethnicity, and age (25–74 years). A food frequency questionnaire with 240 food items, including ethnic foods, was used to assess dietary intake and dietary change during adulthood. Food items were collapsed into 51 groups and entered into principle component analysis to identify dietary patterns. Multivariate regression models were fitted to assess the association between participant characteristics and the dietary patterns. Results: Of 4 dietary patterns identified (Traditional Arabic, Healthy, Animal Protein, and Snack/Fast Food), the Traditional Arabic and Healthy patterns were the most dominant. The Traditional Arabic pattern included high intakes of “Mediterranean diet” components (e.g., olive oil, dairy products, whole grains, legumes, vegetables), as well as less healthy foods (e.g., refined-flour pita bread, meat dishes). Participants with a low score on this pattern had a high intake of starchy, high-fat, and sweet foods. The highest and lowest intake tertiles of this pattern were virtually mono-ethnic (98% Arab, and 98% Jewish, respectively), while the middle tertile was ethnically mixed. Arabs in the middle/lowest tertiles were younger (OR for 10y age increment: 0.71, 95% CI: 0.59–0.84), male (OR: 2.01, 95% CI: 1.38–2.95), and had made non-health related dietary change (OR: 2.40, 95% CI: 1.53–3.77). In contrast, Jews in the middle/highest tertiles had made health-related dietary change (OR: 2.06, 95% CI: 1.27–3.36). The Healthy pattern included a high intake of foods typically found in healthy Western dietary patterns (e.g., vegetables, fruit, low-fat dairy products, whole grains). Arabs had lower odds than Jews of being in the top tertile of the Healthy pattern among never-smokers (OR: 0.12, 95% CI: 0.07–0.21) and current smokers (OR: 0.16, 95% CI: 0.07–0.37); however the strength of this association diminished among past smokers (OR: 0.45, 95% CI: 0.20–1.04). Conclusions: Jews are more likely than Arabs to have classic Western healthy eating patterns, and those who have undergone some dietary acculturation have done so for health-related reasons. The indigenous Mediterranean-style diet of Arabs has deteriorated, and adoption of foods of the immigrant population did not improve the health properties of their diet. These dietary characteristics may place Arabs at higher risk for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.

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Sex differences in the relationship between dietary pattern adherence and cognitive function among older adults: Findings from the NuAge study

10.21203/rs.2.24747/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Danielle D’Amico ◽

Matthew D. Parrott ◽

Carol E. Greenwood ◽

Guylaine Ferland ◽

Pierrette Gaudreau ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Sex Differences ◽

Cognitive Function ◽

Dietary Intake ◽

Cognitive Performance ◽

Dietary Patterns ◽

Dietary Pattern ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Western Dietary Pattern ◽

The Relationship

Abstract Background Consumption of a prudent dietary pattern rich in healthy nutrients is associated with enhanced cognitive performance in older adulthood, while a Western dietary pattern low in healthy nutrients is associated with poor age-related cognitive function. Sex differences exist in dietary intake among older adults; however, there is a paucity of research examining the relationship between sex-specific dietary patterns and cognitive function in later life. Methods The current study aimed to investigate sex differences in the relationship between sex-specific dietary pattern adherence and global cognitive function at baseline and over a 3-year follow-up in 1268 community-dwelling older adults ( M age =74 years, 52% women) from the Quebec Longitudinal Study on Nutrition and Successful Aging (NuAge). A Food Frequency Questionnaire was used to estimate dietary intake. Sex-specific dietary pattern scores were derived using principal component analysis. Global cognition was assessed using the Modified Mini-Mental State Examination (3MS). Results Adjusted linear mixed effects models indicated that a healthy, prudent dietary pattern was not associated with baseline cognitive performance in men or women. No relationship was found between Western dietary pattern adherence and baseline cognitive function in women. Among men, adherence to an unhealthy, Western dietary pattern was associated with poorer baseline cognitive function ( β = -0.652, p = 0.02). No association was found between prudent or Western dietary patterns and cognitive change over time in men or women. Conclusions These findings highlight the importance of conducting sex-based analyses in aging research and suggest that the relationship between dietary pattern adherence and cognitive function in late life may be sex-dependent.

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Caffeine Content and Perceived Sensory Characteristics of Pod Coffee: Effects on Mood and Cognitive Performance

Current Research in Nutrition and Food Science Journal ◽

10.12944/crnfsj.6.2.08 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 6 (2) ◽

pp. 329-345

Author(s):

Christopher Irwin ◽

Danielle McCartney ◽

Saman Khalesi ◽

Ben Desbrow

Keyword(s):

Reaction Time ◽

Cognitive Function ◽

Cognitive Performance ◽

Choice Reaction Time ◽

Coffee Consumption ◽

Sensory Characteristics ◽

Central Tendency ◽

Visual Scanning ◽

Caffeine Content ◽

Rt Distributions

Encapsulated (Pod) coffee is increasingly popular and available in a range of flavor and intensity profiles. This study examined consumption of different coffee Pods on mood and cognitive performance. Thirty-eight participants (n=6 males, 32 females; age: 23.9±5.4 years; weight: 64.3±11.9 kg; BMI: 22.4±2.7 kg•m-2; mean±SD) completed 3 trials, consuming either Cosi, Dharkan, or Kazaar Pods following overnight caffeine abstention. Mood and cognitive performance (choice reaction-time (CRT), visual scanning (VS), Stroop) were measured before and 30 min post coffee consumption. Sensory characteristics were measured during coffee consumption. Accuracy, Reaction Time (RT) central tendency and whole RT distributions were analyzed. Bitterness, flavour-intensity, aroma and perceived caffeine content ratings increased for Cosi, Dharkan and Kazaar Pods respectively. Reduced ratings of sleepiness and headache; and increased ratings of concentration, alertness, excitement and happiness were observed with all Pods. Coffee improved CRT latency (before: 469±55 vs. after: 459±50 ms; p=0.031), but not visual scanning performance. Stroop RTs were faster after coffee (before: 854±193 vs. after: 766±156 ms; p < 0.001); with control, congruent and incongruent trials facilitated by different aspects of the RT distribution. Consumption of Nespresso® Pod coffee improves mood and cognitive performance irrespective of caffeine content, habitual caffeine use and Pod sensory characteristics. However, the effects on cognitive function appear to be task dependent.

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Age-Related Cognitive Decline May Be Moderated by Frequency of Specific Food Products Consumption

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu13082504 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (8) ◽

pp. 2504

Author(s):

Aleksandra Bramorska ◽

Wanda Zarzycka ◽

Wiktoria Podolecka ◽

Katarzyna Kuc ◽

Aneta Brzezicka

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Decline ◽

Cognitive Functioning ◽

Task Performance ◽

Cognitive Performance ◽

Dietary Patterns ◽

Cognitive Task ◽

Food Products ◽

Age Related ◽

Cognitive Task Performance ◽

Age Related Cognitive Decline

Our study aimed to evaluate whether the type of food products and the frequency of their consumption are associated with cognitive functioning in younger and older adults. The impact of diets that are high in added sugars and saturated fat on cognitive functioning, especially on memory, was at the center of our interest. Participants in the study were 204 healthy adults (aged 20–55) who performed a multitasking cognitive test and completed dietary and psychological questionnaires. Stepwise regression analysis with age and food consumption patterns as predictors, and the cognitive task performance as a dependent variable, revealed that cognitive task performance worsened with age. However, we found that the frequency of consuming different types of foods (healthy versus unhealthy dietary patterns) moderates the effects of age on cognitive functioning. Red meat and animal fat consumption were negatively correlated with cognitive performance, and this relation was dependent on the age of our participants. Conversely, white meat and fish consumption were positively related to memory. Different indices of dietary patterns (both positive and negative) were stronger predictors of cognitive performance in the older adult group. We interpret our results as evidence that diet may be a protective (or worsening) factor in age-related cognitive decline.

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