Associations of Lipophilic Micronutrients with Physical and Cognitive Fitness in Persons with Mild Cognitive Impairment

Abstract

Age-associated cognitive impairment in general and dementia in particular are a global concern. Preventive lifestyle strategies are highly used but there is a lack of information on the reciprocal relationships between nutrition biomarkers and measures of both cognitive and physical performance. To fill this gap of knowledge, the relationship between plasma levels of the robust nutrition- and antioxidant defense-related biomarkers carotenoid and tocopherols and both indicators of cognitive and physical performance was investigated in a group of persons with mild cognitive impairment participating in the NeuroExercise Study at the German Sport University in Cologne, Germany. In 56 participants with full dataset, significant correlations independently of fruit and vegetable intake were found between plasma levels of β-cryptoxanthin and Timed Up&Go test (p < 0.05), γ-tocopherol and number of daily steps (p < 0.01), as well as between four out of six measured carotenoids—lutein; zeaxanthin; β-cryptoxanthin and β-carotene—and the computerized CogState International Shopping List subtest (p < 0.01). In light of the increasing attention towards the nutritional cognitive neuroscience of carotenoids, computerized measures of cognitive performance might be further implemented in future studies investigating the effects of lifestyle interventions against cognitive and physical impairment.

Influence of a 12-Month Structured Exercise Program on the Micronutrient-Cognitive Fitness-Physical Association Profiles in Mild Cognitive Impairment

“…The participants were recruited through newspaper advertisements as well as editorials. Participants provided informed written consent to the study procedures [ 17, 20 ]. Inclusion criteria was a score between 18 and 26 on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), which is a widely known and validated assessment tool with the score above reflecting MCI [ 21 ]; pretesting distinguished between amnestic and non-amnestic MCI, where educational cut-offs were applied: –2 Standard Deviation (SD) for low education (<10 years of education), –1.5 SD for the middle group (10–13 years of education), and –1 SD for the highly educated (>13 years of education).…”

“…Oxidative stress can be measured through several biomarkers, which play a role in the defense mechanism against free radicals [ 16 ]. Previous results have shown an association between nutrition- and antioxidant defense-related biomarkers in participants with MCI in the NeuroExercise Study in Germany [ 17 ]. However, the influence of a one-year training intervention on the aforementioned biomarkers and their influence on cognitive and physical function post-intervention has not been investigated yet.…”

Präventive Geriatrie: kognitiven Abbau verhindern

“…Studien konnten zeigen, dass Sport zu einer Senkung antiinflammatorischer Biomarker wie des C-reaktiven Proteins (CRP), des Tumornekrosefaktors alpha (TNF-α) und verschiedener Interleukine führt -Marker, die bekanntermaßen bei Personen mit Demenz in erhöhten Serumspiegeln vorliegen [8,9,12]. Gleichzeitig kann körperliche Aktivität die Entstehung von freien Sauerstoffradikalen und damit oxidativen Stress verringern [8,9].…”

“…Körperliche Aktivität hat auch direkt für den Patienten spürbare Auswirkungen wie Gewichtsreduktion, Blutdrucksenkung, erhöhte Blutdruckstabilität und bessere Leistungsfähigkeit, was bereits in zahlreichen Studien belegt werden konnte [4,8,9,12]. Dabei kommt es nicht auf die Frequenz der körperlichen Aktivität anwichtig scheint vielmehr, dass es sich um eine aerobe Aktivität handelt [4,8,9,12]. Für nicht aerobe Sporteinheiten konnte kein positiver Effekt nachgewiesen werden [5].…”

“…Zubereitung spielt eine wichtige Rolle in der Prävention von kognitiven Defiziten[4,7,8]. Erste Symptome einer Mangelernährung sollten möglichst früh erkannt und korrigiert werden, um einem Nährstoffmangel vorzubeugen[9]. Bei mangelernährten Personen sollte eine Verbesserung der Nahrungsaufnahme forciert werden, statt eine Nährstoffsupplementierung anzustreben.…”