Nutrients in Blood Linked to Better Brain Connectivity, Cognition in Older Adults

A study published in NeuroImage associated higher levels of several key nutrients in the blood with more efficient brain connectivity and performance on cognitive tests in older adults, reports ScienceDaily . The researchers examined 32 key nutrients in the Mediterranean diet, which previous research linked to better brain function in aging. The study included 116 healthy adults 65-75 years old, with better brain health and cognition tied to specific patterns of a handful of nutrient biomarkers in the blood, including omega-3 fatty acids, omega-6 fatty acids, lycopene, alpha- and beta-carotenoids, and vitamins B and D. Analysis determined a strong connection between higher levels of several nutrient biomarkers in the blood and enhanced performance on specific cognitive tests. These nutrients, which appeared to work synergistically, included omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, carotenoids, lycopene, riboflavin, folate, vitamin B12, and vitamin D. Furthermore, a pattern of omega-3s, omega-6s, and carotene was associated with better functional brain network efficiency. "Our study suggests that diet and nutrition moderate the association between network efficiency and cognitive performance," said University of Illinois Professor Aron Barbey. "This means that the strength of the association between functional brain network efficiency and cognitive performance is associated with the level of the nutrients."