Healthy dietary intake mitigates the effects of age on brain iron levels and working memory performance

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2021.06.016

Explanation

It has been suggested that age-related iron deposition in the brain is associated with oxidative stress, neurodegeneration, and can cause cognitive decline.

Continued intake of certain nutrients may reduce brain iron concentrations in animal models, but this association has not been well established in humans and may be unknown.

And it is also unclear whether these nutrients can mitigate the effects of age on brain iron concentration and cognition.

This study investigated the aforementioned issues in 73 healthy older adults (aged 61-86), controlling for several factors.

Quantitative magnetic susceptibility mapping was used to assess brain iron concentration and the N-Back paradigm was used to assess working memory performance.

Nutrient intake was assessed via a validated questionnaire.

The nutrients assessed were grouped based on previous literature and factor analysis.

These analyses showed that those with active intakes of vitamin E, lysine, DHA omega-3, and LA omega-6 PUFAs, representing food groups such as nuts, healthy oils, and fish, moderated the effects of age on both brain iron concentrations and working memory performance, and that rates of brain iron accumulation and working memory decreased with age, according to the study.