RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Nutrient intake and brain biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease in at-risk cognitively normal individuals: a cross-sectional neuroimaging pilot study
JF BMJ Open
JO BMJ Open
FD British Medical Journal Publishing Group
SP e004850
DO 10.1136/bmjopen-2014-004850
VO 4
IS 6
A1 Lisa Mosconi
A1 John Murray
A1 Michelle Davies
A1 Schantel Williams
A1 Elizabeth Pirraglia
A1 Nicole Spector
A1 Wai H Tsui
A1 Yi Li
A1 Tracy Butler
A1 Ricardo S Osorio
A1 Lidia Glodzik
A1 Shankar Vallabhajosula
A1 Pauline McHugh
A1 Charles R Marmar
A1 Mony J de Leon
YR 2014
UL http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/4/6/e004850.abstract
AB Objective There is increasing evidence to suggest that diet, one of the most important modifiable environmental factors, may play a role in preventing or delaying cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease (AD). This study examines the relationship between dietary nutrients and brain biomarkers of AD in cognitively normal individuals (NL) with and without AD risk factors. Design As part of an ongoing brain imaging study, participants received clinical and laboratory examinations, a neurocognitive test battery, positron emission tomography (PET) with 11C-Pittsburgh Compound-B (PiB; a measure of amyloid-β (Aβ) load) and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG; a proxy of neuronal activity), and completed semiquantitative food frequency questionnaires. Setting Research centre affiliated with the Alzheimer's disease Core Center at New York University School of Medicine. Participants 49 NL individuals (age 25–72 years, 69% women) with dietary information, 11C-PiB and 18F-FDG PET scans were examined. Results Controlling for age and total caloric intake, higher intake of vitamin B12, vitamin D and ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) was associated with lower Aβ load in AD regions on PiB-PET, while higher intake of β-carotene and folate was associated with higher glucose metabolism on FDG-PET. β-carotene and folate were associated with reduced glucose metabolism for women, apolipoprotein E epsilon 4 (APOE4) carriers and participants with positive AD family history, but not for their risk-free counterparts. The associations of vitamin B12, vitamin D and ω-3 PUFA with PiB retention were independent of gender, APOE and family history. The identified nutrient combination was associated with higher intake of vegetables, fruit, whole grains, fish and legumes, and lower intake of high-fat dairies, meat and sweets. Conclusions Our data provide a potential pathophysiological mechanism for epidemiological findings showing that dietary interventions may play a role in the prevention of AD. Longitudinal studies are needed to determine whether there is a direct link between nutrient intake, brain biomarkers and risk of AD.