Association between dietary flavonoids intake and cognitive function in an Italian cohort

Since the dietary polyphenols, antioxidant components and anti-inflammatory agents of plant-based foods affect neuro-inflammation, adult neurogenesis and brain signalling (all 3 are linked with cognitive function), this 2020 study examined the relationship between dietary flavonoid consumption with cognitive health among a sample of 808 adults living in southern Italy. Food frequency questionnaires (FFQs) helped assess dietary intake of the participants, while the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire was used as a screening tool for cognitive status and the Phenol-Explorer database produced an estimation of the polyphenol content in foods. The subjects in the top quartile for total flavonoid consumption were 61% less likely to be cognitively impaired, compared with those in the lowest quartile, indicating an inverse association between dietary flavonoid intake with impaired cognitive status. Among subclasses of flavonoids, flavan-3-ols (Q3 vs. Q1: OR = 0.30), catechins (Q4 vs. Q1: OR = 0.24), anthocyanins (Q4 vs. Q1: OR = 0.38), and flavonols (Q3 vs. Q1: OR = 0.30) were found to be connected with cognitive health, while quercetin was the only individual polyphenol associated with cognition (Q4 vs. Q1: OR = 0.30). These results imply the beneficial role of higher dietary flavonoid consumption in cognitive health among healthy participants in southern Italy. [NPID: cognition, polyphenols, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, neuro-inflammation, neurogenesis, cognitive function, Italy, flavonoids]

Year: 2020

Reference: Godos, J., Caraci, F., Castellano, S., Currenti, W., Galvano, F., Ferri, R., & Grosso, G. (2020). Association Between Dietary Flavonoids Intake and Cognitive Function in an Italian Cohort. Biomolecules, 10(9), 1300. https://doi.org/10.3390/biom10091300

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