A systematic review and meta-analysis was undertaken to examine and quantify the effects of B vitamin supplementation on mood in both healthy and ‘at-risk’ populations. A systematic search identified all available randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of daily supplementation with ≥3 B group vitamins with an intervention period of at least four weeks. Random effects models for a standardized mean difference were used to test for overall effect. Heterogeneity was tested using the I2 statistic. Eighteen articles (16 trials, 2015 participants) were included, of which 12 were eligible for meta-analysis. Eleven of the 18 articles reported a positive effect for B vitamins over a placebo for overall mood or a facet of mood. Of the eight studies in ‘at-risk’ cohorts, five found a significant benefit to mood. Regarding individual facets of mood, B vitamin supplementation benefited stress (n = 958, SMD = 0.23, 95% CI = 0.02, 0.45, p = 0.03). A benefit to depressive symptoms did not reach significance (n = 568, SMD = 0.15, 95% CI = −0.01, 0.32, p = 0.07), and there was no effect on anxiety (n = 562, SMD = 0.03, 95% CI = −0.13, 0.20, p = 0.71). The review provides evidence for the benefit of B vitamin supplementation in healthy and at-risk populations for stress, but not for depressive symptoms or anxiety. B vitamin supplementation may particularly benefit populations who are at risk due to (1) poor nutrient status or (2) poor mood status.

Evidence for diet quality representing a modifiable risk factor for age-related cognitive decline and mood disturbances has typically come from retrospective, cross-sectional analyses. Here a diet screening tool (DST) was used to categorize healthy middle-aged volunteers (n = 141, 40–65 years) into “optimal” or “sub-optimal” diet groups to investigate cross-sectional associations between diet quality, cognitive function, and mood. The DST distinguished levels of nutrient intake as assessed by Automated Self-Administered 24-h dietary recall and nutrient status, as assessed by blood biomarker measures. Compared with the “sub-optimal” group, the “optimal” diet group showed significantly higher intake of vitamin E (p = 0.007), magnesium (p = 0.001), zinc (p = 0.043) and fiber (p = 0.015), higher circulating levels of vitamin B6 (p = 0.030) and red blood cell folate (p = 0.026) and lower saturated fatty acids (p = 0.012). Regarding psychological outcomes, the “optimal” diet group had significantly better Stroop processing than those with a “sub-optimal” diet (p = 0.013). Regression analysis revealed that higher DST scores were associated with fewer mood disturbances (p = 0.002) and lower perceived stress (p = 0.031), although these differences were not significant when comparing “optimal” versus “sub-optimal” as discrete groups. This study demonstrates the potential of a 20-item diet screen to identify both nutritional and psychological status in an Australian setting.

Since previous meta-analyses, which were limited only to depression and by a small number of studies available for inclusion at the time of publication, several additional studies have been published assessing the link between ultra-processed food consumption and depression as well as other mental disorders. We aimed to build on previously conducted reviews to synthesise and meta-analyse the contemporary evidence base and clarify the associations between the consumption of ultra-processed food and mental disorders. A total of 17 observational studies were included (n = 385,541); 15 cross-sectional and 2 prospective. Greater ultra-processed food consumption was cross-sectionally associated with increased odds of depressive and anxiety symptoms, both when these outcomes were assessed together (common mental disorder symptoms odds ratio: 1.53, 95%CI 1.43 to 1.63) as well as separately (depressive symptoms odds ratio: 1.44, 95%CI 1.14 to 1.82; and, anxiety symptoms odds ratio: 1.48, 95%CI 1.37 to 1.59). Furthermore, a meta-analysis of prospective studies demonstrated that greater ultra-processed food intake was associated with increased risk of subsequent depression (hazard ratio: 1.22, 95%CI 1.16 to 1.28). While we found evidence for associations between ultra-processed food consumption and adverse mental health, further rigorously designed prospective and experimental studies are needed to better understand causal pathways.

Context Diet plays a critical role in cognitive integrity and decline in older adults. However, little is known about the relationship between diet and cognitive integrity in middle age. Objective To investigate the relationship between dietary patterns in healthy middle-aged adults and neurocognition both in middle age and later in life. Data Sources Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines, the following electronic databases were searched: Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, and PsychInfo. Data Extraction Data from eligible articles was extracted by 2 reviewers. Data Analysis Articles included in the systematic review were synthesized (based on the synthesis without meta-analysis reporting guidelines) and assessed for quality (using the Joanna Briggs Institute checklist for randomized controlled trials, cohort studies, and cross-sectional studies) by 2 reviewers. Results Of 1558 studies identified, 34 met the eligibility criteria for inclusion. These comprised 9 cross-sectional studies, 23 longitudinal or prospective cohort studies, and 2 randomized controlled trials. Findings were mixed, with some studies reporting a significant positive relationship between adherence to various “healthy” dietary patterns and neurocognition, but others reporting no such relationship. Conclusion This systematic review demonstrated that adherence to the Mediterranean diet and other healthy dietary patterns in middle age can protect neurocognition later in life. Systematic Review Registration PROSPERO registration no. CRD42020153179.

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When implemented in practice, digital technologies have shown improvements in morbidity and mortality outcomes in patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD). For scholars, research into digital technologies in cardiovascular care has been relatively recent, thus it is important to understand the history of digital health technology in cardiovascular research—its emergence, rate of growth, hot topics, and its temporal evolution. The aim of this study was to analyse more than 16,000 articles in this domain based on their scientometric indicators. Web of Science (WoS) Core Collection was accessed and searched at several levels, including titles, abstracts, keywords, authors, sources and individual articles. Analysis examined the temporal shifts in research and scholarly focus based on keywords, networks of collaboration, topical divisions in relation to digital technologies, and influential publications. Findings showed this research area is growing exponentially. Co-citation analysis revealed twenty prominent research streams and identified variation in the magnitude of activities in each stream. A recent emergence of research activities in digital technology in cardiovascular rehabilitation (CR), out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), and arrythmia research was also demonstrated. Conversely, wearable technologies, activity tracking and electronic medical records research are now past their peak of reported research activity. With increasing amounts of novel technologies becoming available and more patients taking part in remote health care monitoring, further evaluation and research into digital technologies, including their long-term effectiveness, is needed. Furthermore, emerging technologies, which are evaluated and/or validated should be considered for implementation into clinical practice as treatment and prevention modalities for CVD.

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are glycated proteins or lipids formed endogenously in the human body or consumed through diet. Ultra-processed foods and some culinary techniques, such as dry cooking methods, represent the main sources and drivers of dietary AGEs. Tissue accumulation of AGEs has been associated with cellular aging and implicated in various age-related diseases, including type-2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The current review summarizes the literature examining the associations between AGEs and neurocognitive and mental health disorders. Studies indicate that elevated circulating AGEs are cross-sectionally associated with poorer cognitive function and longitudinally increase the risk of developing dementia. Additionally, preliminary studies show that higher skin AGE accumulation may be associated with mental disorders, particularly depression and schizophrenia. Potential mechanisms underpinning the effects of AGEs include elevated oxidative stress and neuroinflammation, which are both key pathogenetic mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration and mental disorders. Decreasing dietary intake of AGEs may improve neurological and mental disorder outcomes. However, more sophisticated prospective studies and analytical approaches are required to verify directionality and the extent to which AGEs represent a mediator linking unhealthy dietary patterns with cognitive and mental disorders.

Adherence to different dietary patterns has been linked to the development of cognitive decline; yet little is known about whether this relationship is present in middle age. The current study aimed to explore the relationship between different dietary patterns, cognitive performance, and potential cardio-metabolic mechanisms for this relationship. Participants were recruited using a diet screening tool to ensure that the cohort had a range of diet quality ranging from relatively poor to relatively healthy. In a sample of 141 middle-aged adults (age: M = 52.84 years, SD = 6.87 years), multiple 24 h diet recalls were collected and used to score adherence to the Mediterranean diet, dietary approaches to stop hypertension (DASH) diet, and Mediterranean–DASH diet intervention for neurodegenerative delay (MIND) diet. Metabolic risk was assessed using the metabolic syndrome severity score (MetSSS) and arterial stiffness. Cognitive performance was assessed using the Swinburne University Computerized Cognitive Assessment Battery (SUCCAB). Adherence to the MIND diet was significantly related to Stroop Processing domain (β = 0.19, p = 0.035). None of the dietary patterns were significantly related to MetSSS or arterial stiffness. However, adherence to the DASH diet was significantly associated with two cardio-metabolic measures including lower augmentation index (β = −0.17, p = 0.032) and lowered cholesterol (β = −0.18, p = 0.041). Interestingly, two cardio-metabolic risk factors were also associated with better cognitive performance: MetSSS (β = 0.21, p = 0.010) and waist circumference (β = 0.22, p = 0.020). Together these findings suggest that diet in middle age may be important for cognitive functioning and cardio-metabolic risk. However, more research is needed in the form of randomized controlled trials to confirm the direction of these relationships.