Center for Healthy Aging, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
Nutrients. 2019 Aug 1;11(8):1780. doi: 10.3390/nu11081780.
Sex hormone changes in adults are known to play a part in aging, including cognitive aging. Dietary intake of phytoestrogens can mimic estrogenic effects on brain function. Since sex hormones differ between genders, it is important to examine gender differences in the phytoestrogen-cognition association. Therefore, the goal of this study is to examine the relationship between urinary phytoestrogens and speed of processing (SOP) and the variation of the association between genders in older adults. Participants were drawn from the 1999-2002 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and included 354 individuals aged 65-85 years old. General linear models (GLMs) were used to test for significant gender differences in the relationship between phytoestrogens and SOP. Results from the GLMs showed significant gender differences in the relationship between genistein and SOP. Higher levels of genistein were associated with better SOP in women. This relationship was reversed in men: higher genistein levels were associated with worse performance. Results indicate that there are distinct gender differences in the relationship between genistein and SOP. These results emphasize the importance of considering gender differences when devising dietary and pharmacologic interventions that target phytoestrogens to improve brain health.
性荷尔蒙变化被认为在衰老过程中起着重要作用，包括认知衰老。植物雌激素的饮食摄入可以模拟雌激素对大脑功能的影响。由于性别之间的性激素不同，因此研究植物雌激素与认知之间的关联的性别差异非常重要。因此，本研究的目的是研究尿中植物雌激素与加工速度（SOP）之间的关系，以及在老年人群中这种关联的性别差异。参与者来自 1999-2002 年全国健康和营养调查，包括 354 名 65-85 岁的老年人。使用一般线性模型（GLMs）来检验植物雌激素与 SOP 之间关系的性别差异。GLMs 的结果表明，在植物雌激素与 SOP 之间的关系中存在显著的性别差异。高水平的染料木黄酮与女性的 SOP 更好相关。在男性中，这种关系相反：高水平的染料木黄酮与更差的表现相关。结果表明，在染料木黄酮与 SOP 之间的关系中存在明显的性别差异。这些结果强调了在制定针对植物雌激素以改善大脑健康的饮食和药物干预措施时，考虑性别差异的重要性。
