Investigating nutrient biomarkers of healthy brain aging: a multimodal brain imaging study

The field of Nutritional Cognitive Neuroscience is emerging with the aim of identifying foods and nutrients that support healthy brain aging. Finding nutrient profiles that may be targeted in dietary therapies to improve brain health—as determined by several neuroimaging methods that evaluate brain anatomy, function, and metabolism—is crucial to this quest. This study by Zwilling, Wu & Barbey (2024), one of the largest and most comprehensive of its kind, examined the relationship between nutrient biomarkers and brain health in 100 older adults. To evaluate brain health, participants underwent a battery of cognitive tests, brain imaging scans, and analysis of 13 blood-based biomarkers related to diet and nutrition. The aging patterns of the subjects were found to be unique, resulting in two phenotypes: one with accelerated aging and the other with slower-than-expected aging. Analysis of dietary biomarkers distinguishing these phenotypes unveiled a nutrient profile rich in specific fatty acids, antioxidants, and vitamins. Participants with this nutrient profile exhibited better cognitive performance and delayed brain aging compared to their counterparts, even after controlling for demographic factors, fitness levels, and anthropometrics. Thus, the identified nutrient pattern suggests the potential for neuroscience-informed dietary interventions to promote healthy brain aging. [NPID: Cognition, neuroscience, brain aging, nutrients, biomarkers, cognitive tests, neuroimaging]

Year: 2024

Reference: Zwilling, C. E., Wu, J., & Barbey, A. K. (2024). Investigating nutrient biomarkers of healthy brain aging: a multimodal brain imaging study. Npj Aging, 10(1), 27. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41514-024-00150-8

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