school of psychology & clinical language sciences examining...
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LIMITLESS POTENTIAL | LIMITLESS OPPORTUNITIES | LIMITLESS IMPACT LIMITLESS POTENTIAL | LIMITLESS OPPORTUNITIES | LIMITLESS IMPACT LIMITLESS POTENTIAL | LIMITLESS OPPORTUNITIES | LIMITLESS IMPACT Copyright University of Reading
EXAMINING THE EFFECTS OF FLAVONOIDS ON COGNITION
ALifespan Prospective Dr Daniel Lamport
1
School of Psychology & Clinical Language Sciences
LIMITLESS POTENTIAL | LIMITLESS OPPORTUNITIES | LIMITLESS IMPACT
LIMITLESS POTENTIAL | LIMITLESS OPPORTUNITIES | LIMITLESS IMPACT
In the headlines....
LIMITLESS POTENTIAL | LIMITLESS OPPORTUNITIES | LIMITLESS IMPACT
stimulation of
cognitive development
prevention of
cognitive aging
ABILITY
PERFORMANCE
optimalization of
cognitive performance
infant child adult elderly
Cognition throughout the lifespan
LIMITLESS POTENTIAL | LIMITLESS OPPORTUNITIES | LIMITLESS IMPACT
CHILDREN AGED 8-10
5
LIMITLESS POTENTIAL | LIMITLESS OPPORTUNITIES | LIMITLESS IMPACT
Test Function
Go-NoGo Executive Function, response inhibition
Flanker Executive Function – response interference
AVLT Learning, word recall & word Recognition
PMT Levels of processing, response interference
WHYTE, SCHAFER & WILLIAMS (2015)
Treatments: • 30g WBB (~240g fresh) • 15g WBB (~120g fresh)* • Placebo*
*Matched for sugars and vitamin C to highest dose
LIMITLESS POTENTIAL | LIMITLESS OPPORTUNITIES | LIMITLESS IMPACT
VERBAL RECALL
7
Re
actio
n T
ime
(m
s)
Accu
racy
Blueberry powder of 200g blueberries, with semi-skimmed milk N = 19 young adults (20-27 years) and 18 older adults (62-73 years)
Dodd 2013 PhD thesis
Healthy young adults & older adults
Blueberries consumption (579mg flavonoids) associated with acute improvements in cognition
Citrus flavonoids; an acute study healthy males (aged 30-65)
Alharbi et al. 2015 Eur J Nutr
Orange juice & processed whole orange, placebo controlled, crossover acute trial (272mg flavonoid dose)
22 healthy adults aged 30-65 years
-0.30
-0.20
-0.10
0.00
0.10
0.20
2 hours post 6 hours post
Change from
baseline Z-score
Placebo
High Flavonoid
* p<0.05
55
60
65
70
75
Baseline 2 hours 6 hours
Alertness Rating
%
Placebo High Flavonoid
Alharbi et al. 2015 Eur J Nutr
Psychomotor Speed Subjective Alertness
Flavonoid-rich Cocoa: Older Adults Acute, Crossover, double-blind. HF = 494mg LF = 23mg 330ml dairy based cocoa drinks
Equicaloric (113kcal), matched for theobrom. & caffein N = 63 healthy older adults, aged 65-80 yrs
Saunders et al. under review
Chronic effects?
• We have demonstrated effects across the lifespan for acute flavonoid interventions.
• Does chronic daily consumption also lead to observable benefits?
Orange juice intervention in older adults
• Flavanone-rich drink: 500ml daily serving of orange juice containing 305mg flavanones
• Placebo: 500ml daily serving of Orange Squash
• Participants: N=37, aged 60-81 years (mean 67), healthy
Chronic 8 week orange juice intervention
Kean et al. 2015 AJCN
Flavonoid-rich Cocoa
Cognitive benefits observed but only if baseline flavanol intake is low
Saunders 2009 PhD thesis
Habitual flavonoid intake
• Cross sectional and longitudinal design
• 76 healthy older adults (29 men and 47 women; mean age 74)
• All participants performed two identical cognitive assessments in 2010 and 2014.
• Flavonoid intake was assessed with a single dietary assessment upon recruitment using a food frequency questionnaire FFQ. Flavonoid intake was calculated using the FLAVIOLA Food Composition Database.
Habitual flavonoid intake
The highest flavonoid consumers showed improvements over the past 4 years in Executive Function (Stroop) and Memory (delayed word recall) The lowest consumers showed a decline in performance.
Alharbi et al. in prep
Habitual flavonoid intake
Same pattern observed for MMSE – a test of global function in old age. The highest consumers showed maintenance of performance, whereas lowest consumers showed a significant decline.
Flavonoids
Cocoa flavonoids and increased cerebral blood flow (ASL)
The HF – LF contrast analysis revealed significantly increased regional perfusion 2 hrs post consumption of the HF drink relative to the LF drink
1. anterior cingulate gyrus 2. central opercular cortex of the left parietal lobe down to a sub-
cluster in the temporal pole Lamport et al. 2015 Psychopharamcology
Blueberries associated with increased Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF)
N=17 young healthy adults Blueberry powder, the equivalent of 200g blueberries, with semi-skimmed milk
BDNF is a secreted protein and part of the neurotrophin family of growth factors which supports the survival and growth of neurons in the brain, and is a biomarker of learning and memory
Dodd 2013 PhD thesis
stimulation of
cognitive development
prevention of
cognitive aging
ABILITY
PERFORMANCE
optimalization of
cognitive performance
infant child adult elderly
Flavonoids for cognition throughout the lifespan
Acknowledgements Prof Laurie Butler Prof Jeremy Spencer Prof Claire Williams Dr Adrian Whyte Dr Deepa Pal Dr Christina Moutsiana Dr Caroline Saunders Dr George Dodd Dr Pauline How Rebecca Kean (PhD student) Mudi Alharbi (PhD student)