Dietary Phytoestrogen Intake and Cognitive Status in Southern Italian Older Adults

Abstract

Background: Aging society faces significant health challenges, among which cognitive-related disorders are emerging. Diet quality has been recognized among the major contributors to the rising prevalence of cognitive disorders, with increasing evidence of the putative role of plant-based foods and their bioactive components, including polyphenols. Dietary polyphenols, including phytoestrogens, have been hypothesized to exert beneficial effects toward brain health through various molecular mechanisms. However, the evidence on the association between dietary phytoestrogen intake and cognitive function is limited. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between phytoestrogen intake and cognitive status in a cohort of older adults living in Sicily, Southern Italy. Methods: Dietary information from 883 individuals aged 50 years or older was collected through a validated food frequency questionnaire. Cognitive status was assessed through the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire. Results: The highest total isoflavone (including daidzein and genistein) intake was inversely associated with cognitive impairment compared to the lowest (odds ratio (OR) = 0.43, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.20–0.92). Higher intake of total lignans and, consistently, all individual compounds (with the exception of secoisolariciresinol) were inversely associated with cognitive impairment only in the unadjusted model. Conclusions: A higher intake of phytoestrogens, especially isoflavones, was associated with a better cognitive status in a cohort of older Italian individuals living in Sicily. Taking into account the very low intake of isoflavones in Italian diets, it is noteworthy to further investigate selected populations with habitual consumption of such compounds to test whether these results may be generalized to the Italian population.

Let-7 as a Promising Target in Aging and Aging-Related Diseases: A Promise or a Pledge

“…[ 3 , 4 , 5 ]. Although many interventions have been used clinically to slow the progression of aging-related diseases, their effectiveness is still limited [ 6 , 7 ]. Therefore, a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms of the aging process and identification of aging biomarkers and possible therapeutic targets for ARDs is performed to pave the way for future research on aging biology and new antiaging therapies.…”

Dietary (Poly)phenols and Cognitive Decline: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis of Observational Studies

“…A total of 1823 studies were identified through the search strategy ( Figure 1 ). Out of these, after examination of the title ( n = 1303) and abstract ( n = 521) and full texts ( n = 487), 37 articles [ 15–51 ] were included in this review. The main characteristics of the included studies are presented in Table S2, Supporting Information.…”

“…[ 34 ] Another study conducted on the same sample showed that higher intake of isoflavones, but not lignans, were inversely associated with cognitive impairment (T3 vs T1, OR = 0.46, 95% CI: 0.21, 1.00 and OR = 0.84, 95% CI: 0.41, 1.71, respectively), but both groups of molecules resulted associated when the analysis was restricted to older individuals (>70 years) (T3 vs T1, OR = 0.10, 95% CI: 0.01, 0.88 and OR = 0.16, 95% CI: 0.03, 0.87, respectively). [ 35 ] A more recent prospective study including 16 704 older participants from the Singapore Chinese Health Study (SCHS) followed up for about 11 years showed a significant inverse association between flavonoid intake (except for flavanones) and cognitive impairment assessed through a Singapore‐Modified version of the MMSE. Taking into consideration flavonoid consumption, the odds of cognitive decline for the highest versus the lowest quartile of intake was 0.77 (95% CI: 0.68, 0.88).…”

Desordens cognitivas associadas ao padrão alimentar em idosos: Revisão Integrativa

“…A recordação e a precisão são ainda mais propensas a serem comprometidas em populações idosas, levando a estimativas imprecisas da ingestão alimentar quando as avaliações dependem de auto-relato 18,19 . A maior adesão aos padrões alimentares à base de plantas e o alto consumo de alimentos de origem vegetal, como vegetais, frutas, leguminosas e grãos integrais, são úteis para preservar e fortalecer a saúde cognitiva 19 .…”