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Longer-term soy nut consumption improves cerebral blood flow and psychomotor speed: results of a randomized, controlled crossover trial in older men and women
The aim of this 2021 study was to find out if eating soy foods can improve cerebral blood flow, and thereby contribute to the positive effect of plant-based diets on cognitive performance. Cerebral blood flow was investigated as it indicates cerebrovascular function, while cognitive performance was also assessed. The participants were older adults (aged between 60 and 70 years) and were randomly selected to either eat soy nuts daily (intervention group) or not receive nuts at all (control group) for 16 weeks. This was a crossover trial, meaning that each subject initially assigned to one group (intervention or control) were later placed in the other group after a 8-week washout period. As well as cerebral blood blow, the older adults were tested on psychomotor speed, executive function, and memory through the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB). The soy nuts were well tolerated by the participants, with no reports of adverse effects. The data showed that soy nut consumption increased the regional cerebral blood flow in 4 brain clusters. Psychomotor speed also improved in the soy nut intervention group, but executive function and memory did not seem to be affected. In conclusion, the longer-term intake of soy nuts may enhance cerebrovascular function in older adults. [NPID: aging, diet, cognition, cerebral blood flow, plant-based diets, cognitive performance, older adults]
Year: 2021
