Nutrients

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7 pages, 629 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

Microbiota-Derived β-Amyloid-like Peptides Trigger Alzheimer’s Disease-Related Pathways in the SH-SY5Y Neural Cell Line

by Aitor Blanco-Míguez, Hector Tamés, Patricia Ruas-Madiedo and Borja Sánchez

Nutrients 2021, 13(11), 3868; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13113868 - 29 Oct 2021

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2185

Abstract

Here, we present the first in silico and in vitro evidence of Aβ-like peptides released from meaningful members of the gut microbiome (mostly from the Clostridiales order). Two peptides with high homology to the human Aβ peptide domain were synthesized and tested in [...] Read more.

Here, we present the first in silico and in vitro evidence of Aβ-like peptides released from meaningful members of the gut microbiome (mostly from the Clostridiales order). Two peptides with high homology to the human Aβ peptide domain were synthesized and tested in vitro in a neuron cell-line model. Gene expression profile analysis showed that one of them induced whole gene pathways related to AD, opening the way to translational approaches to assess whether gut microbiota-derived peptides might be implicated in the neurodegenerative processes related to AD. This exploratory work opens the path to new approaches for understanding the relationship between the gut microbiome and the triggering of potential molecular events leading to AD. As microbiota can be modified using diet, tools for precise nutritional intervention or targeted microbiota modification in animal models might help us to understand the individual roles of gut bacteria releasing Aβ-like peptides and therefore their contribution to this progressive disease. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights into Nutrition and Brain Health)

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15 pages, 1034 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Cortical and Subcortical Brain Volumes Partially Mediate the Association between Dietary Composition and Behavioral Disinhibition: A UK Biobank Study

by Daan van Rooij, Lizanne Schweren, Huiqing Shi, Catharina A Hartman and Jan K Buitelaar

Nutrients 2021, 13(10), 3542; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13103542 - 9 Oct 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2594

Abstract

Behavioral disinhibition is observed to be an important characteristic of many neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders. Recent studies have linked dietary quality to levels of behavioral inhibition. However, it is currently unclear whether brain factors might mediate this. The current study investigates whether cortical [...] Read more.

Behavioral disinhibition is observed to be an important characteristic of many neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders. Recent studies have linked dietary quality to levels of behavioral inhibition. However, it is currently unclear whether brain factors might mediate this. The current study investigates whether cortical and subcortical brain volumes mediate part of the association between dietary composition and behavioral disinhibition. A total of 15,258 subjects from the UK Biobank project were included in the current study. Dietary composition and behavioral disinhibition were based on Principle Component Analyses of self-reported dietary composition). As a further data reduction step, cortical and subcortical volume segmentations were input into an Independent Component Analysis. The resulting four components were used as mediator variables in the main mediation analyses, where behavioral disinhibition served as the outcome variable and dietary components as predictors. Our results show: (1) significant associations between all dietary components and brain volume components; (2) brain volumes are associated with behavioral disinhibition; (3) the mediation models show that part of the variance in behavioral disinhibition explained by dietary components (for healthy diet, restricted diet, and high-fat dairy diet) is mediated through the frontal-temporal/parietal brain volume component. These results are in part confirming our hypotheses and offer a first insight into the underlying mechanisms linking dietary composition, frontal-parietal brain volume, and behavioral disinhibition in the general adult population. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights into Nutrition and Brain Health)

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13 pages, 1121 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Adherence to Mediterranean Diet and Cognitive Abilities in the Greek Cohort of Epirus Health Study

by Myrto Koutsonida, Afroditi Kanellopoulou, Georgios Markozannes, Styliani Gousia, Michail T. Doumas, Dimitrios E. Sigounas, Vasilios T. Tzovaras, Konstantinos Vakalis, Ioanna Tzoulaki, Evangelos Evangelou, Evangelos C. Rizos, Evangelia Ntzani, Eleni Aretouli and Konstantinos K. Tsilidis

Nutrients 2021, 13(10), 3363; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13103363 - 25 Sep 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3275

Abstract

The Mediterranean diet is commonly proposed as a major modifiable protective factor that may delay cognitive impairment in the elderly. The aim of the study was to investigate the cross-sectional association of adherence to the Mediterranean diet with cognitive abilities in a younger [...] Read more.

The Mediterranean diet is commonly proposed as a major modifiable protective factor that may delay cognitive impairment in the elderly. The aim of the study was to investigate the cross-sectional association of adherence to the Mediterranean diet with cognitive abilities in a younger Greek population. A total of 1201 healthy adults aged 21–77 years (mean: 47.8) from the Epirus Health Study cohort were included in the analysis. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet was measured using the 14-point Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (MEDAS) and cognition was measured using the Trail Making Test, the Verbal Fluency test and the Logical Memory test. Statistical analysis was performed using multiple linear regression models adjusted for age, sex, education, body mass index, smoking status, alcohol consumption and physical activity. Overall, no association was found between the MEDAS score and cognitive tests, which could be explained by the young mean age and high level of education of the participants. Future studies should target young and middle-aged individuals to gain further understanding of the association between Mediterranean diet and cognition in this age group. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights into Nutrition and Brain Health)

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15 pages, 1616 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Association between Body Mass Index and Intra-Cortical Myelin: Findings from the Human Connectome Project

by Debo Dong, Yulin Wang, Zhiliang Long, Todd Jackson, Xuebin Chang, Feng Zhou and Hong Chen

Nutrients 2021, 13(9), 3221; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13093221 - 16 Sep 2021

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 6944

Abstract

Intra-cortical myelin is a myelinated part of the cerebral cortex that is responsible for the spread and synchronization of neuronal activity in the cortex. Recent animal studies have established a link between obesity and impaired oligodendrocyte maturation vis-à-vis cells that produce and maintain [...] Read more.

Intra-cortical myelin is a myelinated part of the cerebral cortex that is responsible for the spread and synchronization of neuronal activity in the cortex. Recent animal studies have established a link between obesity and impaired oligodendrocyte maturation vis-à-vis cells that produce and maintain myelin; however, the association between obesity and intra-cortical myelination remains to be established. To investigate the effects of obesity on intra-cortical myelin in living humans, we employed a large, demographically well-characterized sample of healthy young adults drawn from the Human Connectome Project (n = 1066). Intra-cortical myelin was assessed using a novel T1-w/T2-w ratio method. Linear regression analysis was used to investigate the association between body mass index (BMI), an indicator of obesity, and intra-cortical myelination, adjusting for covariates of no interest. We observed BMI was related to lower intra-cortical myelination in regions previously identified to be involved in reward processing (i.e., medial orbitofrontal cortex, rostral anterior cingulate cortex), attention (i.e., visual cortex, inferior/middle temporal gyrus), and salience detection (i.e., insula, supramarginal gyrus) in response to viewing food cues (corrected p < 0.05). In addition, higher BMIs were associated with more intra-cortical myelination in regions associated with somatosensory processing (i.e., the somatosensory network) and inhibitory control (i.e., lateral inferior frontal gyrus, frontal pole). These findings were also replicated after controlling for key potential confounding factors including total intracranial volume, substance use, and fluid intelligence. Findings suggested that altered intra-cortical myelination may represent a novel microstructure-level substrate underlying prior abnormal obesity-related brain neural activity, and lays a foundation for future investigations designed to evaluate how living habits, such as dietary habit and physical activity, affect intra-cortical myelination. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights into Nutrition and Brain Health)

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9 pages, 520 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Association between Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index and Post-Stroke Cognitive Outcomes

by Minwoo Lee, Jae-Sung Lim, Yerim Kim, Ju Hun Lee, Chul-Ho Kim, Sang-Hwa Lee, Min Uk Jang, Mi Sun Oh, Byung-Chul Lee and Kyung-Ho Yu

Nutrients 2021, 13(6), 1776; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13061776 - 23 May 2021

Cited by 25 | Viewed by 3557

Abstract

Background: It is not yet clear whether nutritional status is associated with post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI). We examined the geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI) on the domain-specific cognitive outcomes 3 months after a stroke. Methods: A total of 344 patients with acute ischemic [...] Read more.

Background: It is not yet clear whether nutritional status is associated with post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI). We examined the geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI) on the domain-specific cognitive outcomes 3 months after a stroke. Methods: A total of 344 patients with acute ischemic stroke were included for the analysis. The GNRI was calculated as 1.489 × serum albumin (g/L) + 41.7 × admission weight (kg)/ideal body weight (kg) and was dichotomized according to the prespecified cut-off points for no risk and any risks. The primary outcome was PSCI, defined as having adjusted z-scores of less than −2 standard deviations in at least one cognitive domain: executive/activation, memory, visuospatial and language. Multiple logistic regression and linear regression analyses were performed to investigate the association between the GNRI and cognitive outcomes. Results: Seventy (20.3%) patients developed PSCI 3 months after a stroke. The mean GNRI was 106.1 ± 8.6, and 59 (17.2%) patients had low (<98) GNRI scores. A low GNRI was independently associated with the PSCI after adjusting for age, sex, education, initial stroke severity, stroke mechanism and left hemispheric lesion (odds ratio, 2.04; 95% confidence interval, 1.00–4.14). The GNRI scores were also significantly associated with the z-scores from the mini-mental status examination and the frontal domain (β = 0.04, p-value = 0.03; β = 0.03, p-value = 0.03, respectively). Conclusions: A low GNRI was independently associated with the development of PSCI at 3 months after an ischemic stroke. The GNRI scores were specifically associated with the z-scores of the global cognition and frontal domain cognitive outcomes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights into Nutrition and Brain Health)

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13 pages, 295 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Diet, Physical Activity, and Disinhibition in Middle-Aged and Older Adults: A UK Biobank Study

by Lizanne J. S. Schweren, Daan van Rooij, Huiqing Shi, Henrik Larsson, Alejandro Arias-Vasquez, Lin Li, Liv Grimstvedt Kvalvik, Jan Haavik, Jan Buitelaar and Catharina Hartman

Nutrients 2021, 13(5), 1607; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13051607 - 11 May 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3023

Abstract

Disinhibition is a prominent feature of multiple psychiatric disorders, and has been associated with poor long-term somatic outcomes. Modifiable lifestyle factors including diet and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) may be associated with disinhibition, but their contributions have not previously been quantified among middle-aged/older [...] Read more.

Disinhibition is a prominent feature of multiple psychiatric disorders, and has been associated with poor long-term somatic outcomes. Modifiable lifestyle factors including diet and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) may be associated with disinhibition, but their contributions have not previously been quantified among middle-aged/older adults. Here, among N = 157,354 UK Biobank participants aged 40–69, we extracted a single disinhibition principal component and four dietary components (prudent diet, elimination of wheat/dairy/eggs, meat consumption, full-cream dairy consumption). In addition, latent profile analysis assigned participants to one of five empirical dietary groups: prudent-moderate, unhealthy, restricted, meat-avoiding, low-fat dairy. Disinhibition was regressed on the four dietary components, the dietary grouping variable, and self-reported MVPA. In men and women, disinhibition was negatively associated with prudent diet, and positively associated with wheat/dairy/eggs elimination. In men, disinhibition was also associated with consumption of meat and full-cream dairy products. Comparing groups, disinhibition was lower in the prudent-moderate diet (reference) group compared to all other groups. Absolute βs ranged from 0.02–0.13, indicating very weak effects. Disinhibition was not associated with MVPA. In conclusion, disinhibition is associated with multiple features of diet among middle-aged/older adults. Our findings foster specific hypotheses (e.g., early malnutrition, elevated immune-response) to be tested in alternative study designs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights into Nutrition and Brain Health)

Review

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25 pages, 840 KiB

Open AccessReview

The Effects of Intermittent Fasting on Brain and Cognitive Function

by Jip Gudden, Alejandro Arias Vasquez and Mirjam Bloemendaal

Nutrients 2021, 13(9), 3166; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13093166 - 10 Sep 2021

Cited by 43 | Viewed by 41010

Abstract

The importance of diet and the gut-brain axis for brain health and cognitive function is increasingly acknowledged. Dietary interventions are tested for their potential to prevent and/or treat brain disorders. Intermittent fasting (IF), the abstinence or strong limitation of calories for 12 to [...] Read more.

The importance of diet and the gut-brain axis for brain health and cognitive function is increasingly acknowledged. Dietary interventions are tested for their potential to prevent and/or treat brain disorders. Intermittent fasting (IF), the abstinence or strong limitation of calories for 12 to 48 h, alternated with periods of regular food intake, has shown promising results on neurobiological health in animal models. In this review article, we discuss the potential benefits of IF on cognitive function and the possible effects on the prevention and progress of brain-related disorders in animals and humans. We do so by summarizing the effects of IF which through metabolic, cellular, and circadian mechanisms lead to anatomical and functional changes in the brain. Our review shows that there is no clear evidence of a positive short-term effect of IF on cognition in healthy subjects. Clinical studies show benefits of IF for epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease, and multiple sclerosis on disease symptoms and progress. Findings from animal studies show mechanisms by which Parkinson’s disease, ischemic stroke, autism spectrum disorder, and mood and anxiety disorders could benefit from IF. Future research should disentangle whether positive effects of IF hold true regardless of age or the presence of obesity. Moreover, variations in fasting patterns, total caloric intake, and intake of specific nutrients may be relevant components of IF success. Longitudinal studies and randomized clinical trials (RCTs) will provide a window into the long-term effects of IF on the development and progress of brain-related diseases. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights into Nutrition and Brain Health)

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Other

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40 pages, 3817 KiB

Open AccessSystematic Review

Effects of Nutrition on Cognitive Function in Adults with or without Cognitive Impairment: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Clinical Trials

by Laia Gutierrez, Alexandre Folch, Melina Rojas, José Luis Cantero, Mercedes Atienza, Jaume Folch, Antoni Camins, Agustín Ruiz, Christopher Papandreou and Mònica Bulló

Nutrients 2021, 13(11), 3728; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13113728 - 22 Oct 2021

Cited by 31 | Viewed by 9989

Abstract

New dietary approaches for the prevention of cognitive impairment are being investigated. However, evidence from dietary interventions is mainly from food and nutrient supplement interventions, with inconsistent results and high heterogeneity between trials. We conducted a comprehensive systematic search of randomized controlled trials [...] Read more.

New dietary approaches for the prevention of cognitive impairment are being investigated. However, evidence from dietary interventions is mainly from food and nutrient supplement interventions, with inconsistent results and high heterogeneity between trials. We conducted a comprehensive systematic search of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published in MEDLINE-PubMed, from January 2018 to July 2021, investigating the impact of dietary counseling, as well as food-based and dietary supplement interventions on cognitive function in adults with or without cognitive impairment. Based on the search strategy, 197 eligible publications were used for data abstraction. Finally, 61 articles were included in the analysis. There was reasonable evidence that dietary patterns, as well as food and dietary supplements improved cognitive domains or measures of brain integrity. The Mediterranean diet showed promising results, whereas the role of the DASH diet was not clear. Healthy food consumption improved cognitive function, although the quality of these studies was relatively low. The role of dietary supplements was mixed, with strong evidence of the benefits of polyphenols and combinations of nutrients, but with low evidence for PUFAs, vitamin D, specific protein, amino acids, and other types of supplements. Further well-designed RCTs are needed to guide the development of dietary approaches for the prevention of cognitive impairment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights into Nutrition and Brain Health)

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