A recent study by researchers at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign found that specific nutrients may play a key role in promoting healthy brain aging. The study, published in the journal npj agingsuggests that certain dietary components may help maintain cognitive function and brain health as we age.
As people age, cognitive decline and worsening brain health are common concerns. Researchers have long studied various factors contributing to brain aging, including genetics, lifestyle and environmental influences. Although much is known about the risk factors that accelerate brain aging, less is understood about the factors that may prevent or mitigate cognitive decline.
In their new study, the researchers sought to fill this gap by focusing on the potential protective effects of specific nutrients, inspired by the known benefits of the Mediterranean diet, which includes high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids, antioxidants and other essential nutrients.
“The emerging field of nutritional cognitive neuroscience aims to discover specific foods and nutrients that promote brain health across the lifespan,” said study author Aron Barbey, director of the Brain Center, biology and behavior and Mildred Francis Thompson University Professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
“At the heart of this effort is the discovery of nutrient profiles that can be targeted in nutritional interventions designed to improve brain health. Our study contributes to this effort, identifying a key nutritional profile that may slow cognitive decline in older adults, providing a promising avenue toward designing nutritional interventions to promote healthy brain aging.
The study included 100 healthy older adults, ages 65 to 75, who were part of the Illinois Brain Aging Study cohort. These participants were neurologically healthy, had no cognitive deficits, and had not participated in previous studies of cognitive training or dietary intervention. The researchers excluded people with medical conditions that might affect the results, such as a recent stroke or psychiatric illness.
Participants underwent a comprehensive battery of brain imaging tests, including MRI scans to assess brain structure, function and metabolism. The researchers used a Siemens Magnetom 3T Trio scanner to collect high-resolution images of the participants’ brains. These images helped measure brain volume, white matter integrity and functional connectivity.
Additionally, fasting plasma samples were collected to analyze nutrient biomarkers. The focus was on three main classes of nutrients: fatty acids, carotenoids and vitamins. High-performance liquid chromatography and gas chromatography were used to measure the concentrations of these nutrients in the blood. The nutrient profiles were then compared to brain imaging data to identify patterns associated with healthier brain aging.
Researchers have identified two distinct phenotypes of brain aging: accelerated aging and delayed aging. Participants in the Delayed Aging group had larger brain volumes, greater white matter integrity, higher concentrations of brain metabolites, and better functional connectivity compared to those in the Accelerated Aging group. These results suggest that the delayed aging phenotype is characterized by healthier brain structure and function.
In terms of nutrient profiles, the Delayed Aging group had higher concentrations of specific nutrients known to benefit brain health. These included polyunsaturated fatty acids like EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and ALA (alpha-linolenic acid), monounsaturated fatty acids like vaccenic acid and gondoic acid, carotenoids like lutein and zeaxanthin, as well as vitamins including vitamin E and choline. These nutrients are known for their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, which help protect the brain from oxidative stress and support cellular health.
The study also found that individuals in the Delayed Aging group performed better on cognitive tests measuring intelligence, executive function and memory. This correlation between nutritional profiles, brain health and cognitive performance highlights the potential of targeted nutritional interventions to promote healthier brain aging.
“Our research builds on previous work in several ways,” Barbey explained. “First, this is one of the largest and most comprehensive studies using blood biomarkers to study the link between diet and brain health. Second, it goes beyond traditional cognitive tests by employing multimodal neuroimaging measures. This provides a more complete picture of brain health, encompassing measures of brain structure, function and metabolism. Finally, the study goes beyond focusing on single nutrients and identifies a specific nutrient profile associated with slower brain aging.
Although the study provides valuable information, it has several limitations. First, this is a cross-sectional study, meaning it provides a snapshot of the data at a single point in time. Longitudinal studies are needed to better understand how nutrient intake influences brain aging over time. Additionally, the sample size was relatively small and comprised primarily of Caucasian participants, which may limit the generalizability of the results to other populations.
Future research should focus on larger and more diverse cohorts to validate these findings. It is also important to conduct randomized controlled trials to determine the effectiveness of specific nutritional interventions in promoting brain health. Additionally, although the study identified key nutrients associated with healthier brain aging, the underlying mechanisms by which these nutrients exert their effects require further exploration.
“Recent evidence in the field of nutritional cognitive neuroscience demonstrates that many aspects of nutrition – from whole food diets to specific nutrients – affect brain structure and function, and therefore have profound implications for understanding the nature of healthy brain aging,” Barbey said.
“Indeed, the Office of Nutrition Research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) recently launched a 10-year strategic plan to significantly accelerate nutrition research for optimal health. Our work directly aligns with this NIH initiative, aiming to provide valuable insights into how dietary habits influence brain health and cognitive function across the lifespan.
The study titled “Investigating Nutrient Biomarkers of Healthy Brain Aging: A Multimodal Brain Imaging Study” was authored by Christopher E. Zwilling, Jisheng Wu, and Aron K. Barbey.