Aging Research Center, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society (NVS), Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden; Stress Research Institute, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.
Aging Research Center, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society (NVS), Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.
Mech Ageing Dev. 2014 Mar-Apr;136-137:59-69. doi: 10.1016/j.mad.2013.11.011. Epub 2013 Dec 12.
Cognitive decline in elderly people often derives from the interaction between aging-related changes and age-related diseases and covers a large spectrum of clinical manifestations, from intact cognition through mild cognitive impairment and dementia. Epidemiological evidence supports the hypothesis that modifiable lifestyle-related factors are associated with cognitive decline, opening new avenues for prevention. Diet in particular has become the object of intense research in relation to cognitive aging and neurodegenerative disease. We reviewed the most recent findings in this rapidly expanding field. Some nutrients, such as vitamins and fatty acids, have been studied longer than others, but strong scientific evidence of an association is lacking even for these compounds. Specific dietary patterns, like the Mediterranean diet, may be more beneficial than a high consumption of single nutrients or specific food items. A strong link between vascular risk factors and dementia has been shown, and the association of diet with several vascular and metabolic diseases is well known. Other plausible mechanisms underlying the relationship between diet and cognitive decline, such as inflammation and oxidative stress, have been established. In addition to the traditional etiological pathways, new hypotheses, such as the role of the intestinal microbiome in cognitive function, have been suggested and warrant further investigation.
老年人认知能力下降通常源于与衰老相关的变化和与年龄相关的疾病之间的相互作用，涵盖了从认知完整到轻度认知障碍和痴呆等广泛的临床表现。流行病学证据支持这样一种假设，即可改变的与生活方式相关的因素与认知能力下降有关，为预防开辟了新的途径。饮食，尤其是与认知老化和神经退行性疾病有关的饮食，已成为研究的热点。我们回顾了这一快速发展领域的最新发现。一些营养素，如维生素和脂肪酸，比其他营养素研究得更久，但即使是这些化合物，也缺乏与之相关的强有力的科学证据。特定的饮食模式，如地中海饮食，可能比大量单一营养素或特定食物的摄入更有益。血管危险因素与痴呆之间存在很强的关联，饮食与多种血管和代谢性疾病的关联已广为人知。已经确定了饮食与认知能力下降之间关系的其他可能机制，如炎症和氧化应激。除了传统的病因途径外，还提出了一些新的假说，如肠道微生物组在认知功能中的作用，并需要进一步研究。
