Decision Neuroscience Laboratory, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, USA; Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, USA.
Decision Neuroscience Laboratory, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, USA; Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, USA; Medical Scholars Program, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.
Neuroimage. 2019 Mar;188:239-251. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2018.12.007. Epub 2018 Dec 7.
A central aim of research in the psychological and brain sciences is to establish therapeutic interventions to promote healthy brain aging. Accumulating evidence indicates that diet and the many bioactive substances present in food are reasonable interventions to examine for dementia prevention. However, interdisciplinary research that applies methods from nutritional epidemiology and network neuroscience to investigate the role of nutrition in shaping functional brain network efficiency remains to be conducted. The present study therefore sought to combine methods across disciplines, applying nutrient biomarker pattern (NBP) analysis to capture the effects of plasma nutrients in combination and to examine their collective influence on measures of functional brain network efficiency (small-world propensity). We examined the contribution of NBPs to multiple indices of cognition and brain health in non-demented elders (n = 116), investigating performance on measures of general intelligence, executive function, and memory, and resting-state fMRI measures of brain network efficiency within seven intrinsic connectivity networks. Statistical moderation investigated whether NBPs influenced network efficiency and cognitive outcomes. The results revealed five NBPs that were associated with enhanced cognitive performance, including biomarker patterns high in plasma: (1) ω-3 and ω-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), (2) lycopene, (3) ω-3 PUFAs, (4) carotenoids, and (5) vitamins B (riboflavin, folate, B12) and D. Furthermore, three NBPs were associated with enhanced functional brain network efficiency, including biomarker patterns high in plasma: (1) ω-6 PUFAs, (2) ω-3 PUFAs, and (3) carotene. Finally, ω-3 PUFAs moderated the fronto-parietal network and general intelligence, while ω-6 PUFAs and lycopene moderated the dorsal attention network and executive function. In sum, NBPs account for a significant proportion of variance in measures of cognitive performance and functional brain network efficiency. The results motivate a multidisciplinary approach that applies methods from nutritional epidemiology (NBP analysis) and cognitive neuroscience (functional brain network efficiency) to characterize the impact of nutrition on human health, aging, and disease.
研究的一个核心目标是确定心理和大脑科学领域的治疗干预措施，以促进健康的大脑衰老。越来越多的证据表明，饮食和食物中存在的许多生物活性物质是合理的干预措施，可以用来预防痴呆症。然而，应用营养流行病学和网络神经科学方法来研究营养在塑造功能大脑网络效率中的作用的跨学科研究仍然有待开展。因此，本研究旨在结合跨学科方法，应用营养生物标志物模式（NBP）分析来捕捉血浆营养物质的联合作用，并研究它们对功能大脑网络效率（小世界倾向）的综合影响。我们在非痴呆老年人（n=116）中结合了跨学科方法，应用 NBP 分析来考察血浆营养物质与认知和大脑健康多个指标之间的关系，同时考察了七个内在连接网络中大脑网络效率的静息状态 fMRI 测量结果。统计调节分析了 NBP 是否会影响网络效率和认知结果。结果显示，有五个 NBP 与认知表现提高有关，包括高血浆水平的生物标志物模式：（1）ω-3 和 ω-6 多不饱和脂肪酸（PUFAs）、（2）番茄红素、（3）ω-3 PUFAs、（4）类胡萝卜素和（5）维生素 B（核黄素、叶酸、B12）和 D。此外，有三个 NBP 与功能大脑网络效率提高有关，包括高血浆水平的生物标志物模式：（1）ω-6 PUFAs、（2）ω-3 PUFAs 和（3）类胡萝卜素。最后，ω-3 PUFAs 调节额顶网络和一般智力，而 ω-6 PUFAs 和番茄红素调节背侧注意网络和执行功能。总之，NBP 解释了认知表现和功能大脑网络效率测量的很大一部分变异。这些结果为应用营养流行病学（NBP 分析）和认知神经科学（功能大脑网络效率）方法的跨学科方法提供了动力，以描述营养对人类健康、衰老和疾病的影响。
