Mechanistic assessment of the acute and chronic cognitive effects of flavanol/anthocyanin intervention in humans

黄烷醇/花青素干预对人类急性和慢性认知影响的机制评估

• 批准号: BB/L02540X/1
• 负责人: Jeremy Spencer
• 金额: $ 73.27万
• 依托单位: University of Reading
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2014
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2014 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=BB%2FL02540X%2F1
• 关键词: Mechanistic; assessment; acute; chronic; cognitive

Representing one of the most important lifestyle factors, diet can strongly influence the incidence of cardiovascular disease and neurodegenerative diseases and thus a healthy diet is crucial for healthy ageing. Various bioactive constituents of certain foods and beverages, in particular a class of compounds called flavonoids, have generated interest over the last few years. Recent dietary intervention studies, in particular those using wine, tea, cocoa or blueberries, have begun to demonstrate beneficial effects on the function of blood vessels and on mental performance (cognition). While such foods and beverages differ greatly in chemical composition, nutrient content and calories per serving, they have in common that they are amongst the major dietary sources of two flavonoids known as anthocyanins and flavanols. Dietary supplementation studies in humans using foods or extracts rich in these flavonoids have indicated that they possess an ability to enhance human cognition, memory and learning. It is thought that they may do this by increasing the flow of blood to specific regions of the brain, which control these vital processes.Building on existing human work conducted in our laboratory, this multidisciplinary study is designed to determine how specific flavonoids may enhance human cognitive function by focussing on how they enhance blood vessel function thus increasing the amount of blood flow to the brain. The proposal, which is multidisciplinary in nature, will provide crucial information on the ability of flavonoid-rich foods to produce improvements in cognition by using optimised cognitive testing, along with state-of-the-art brain imaging (fMRI) techniques and blow flow measures (FMD). Importantly, this proposal will shed the first light on how flavonoids improve cognition in humans by examining their precise pathways of action in the body. The outcomes of this proposal have implications for exploiting the potential beneficial health effects of flavonoid components of the diet, particularly with relation to counteracting the decline in human cognitive function associated with normal and abnormal ageing. Although the study findings have most relevance to those at greatest risk of cognitive decline, notably older adults, the changes studied and the mechanisms involved hold relevance for all people. Indeed the concept of healthy brain ageing is rooted at the core of this proposal through the application of sound dietary recommendations. As the average-life span of humans increases this proposal becomes more relevant. Data emanating from the proposal are necessary before academia/industry may work to exploit such biological activity in future. There has been a large growth in the desire for such functional foods (21% market growth in the USA) and cause-and-effect data are essential for the development of European Food Standards Agency health claims on specific flavonoid containing products. Such products would appeal to those wishing to temporarily boost their cognitive performance as well as those most at risk of cognitive impairment (i.e. 50-80 year olds). Indeed, the requirement for novel dietary approaches designed to improve cognitive health has never been greater, particularly given the increased incidence of age-related cognitive decline. Health care costs run as high as £23 billion per annum for all forms of dementia and is continuing to grow as the mean population life expectancy increases. Such a preventative strategy for the treatment of dementia is essential if the number of sufferers and the cost of their treatment are to be reduced. Understanding more about how specific diets may promote healthy brain aging and modulate cognitive losses will help us to define more effective public health advice and encourage the population to make more informed healthy food choices.

作为最重要的生活方式因素之一，饮食可以强烈影响心血管疾病和神经退行性疾病的发病率，因此健康的饮食对健康的老龄化至关重要。某些食品和饮料的各种生物活性成分，特别是一类称为类黄酮的化合物，在过去几年中引起了人们的兴趣。最近的饮食干预研究，特别是那些使用葡萄酒，茶，可可或蓝莓的研究，已经开始证明对血管功能和心理表现（认知）的有益影响。虽然这些食品和饮料在化学成分、营养成分和每份热量方面差异很大，但它们的共同点是它们是两种黄酮类化合物（称为花青素和黄烷醇）的主要膳食来源之一。使用富含这些黄酮类化合物的食物或提取物对人类进行的膳食补充研究表明，它们具有增强人类认知、记忆和学习的能力。据认为，它们可能通过增加血液流向大脑的特定区域来实现这一点，这些区域控制着这些重要过程。在我们实验室进行的现有人类工作的基础上，这项多学科研究旨在确定特定的黄酮类化合物如何通过关注它们如何增强血管功能从而增加流向大脑的血液量来增强人类认知功能。该提案是多学科性质的，将通过使用优化的认知测试，沿着最先进的脑成像（fMRI）技术和脑血流测量（FMD），提供关于富含类黄酮的食物改善认知能力的关键信息。重要的是，这一提议将首次揭示类黄酮如何通过检查它们在体内的确切作用途径来改善人类的认知。该提案的结果对利用饮食中类黄酮成分的潜在有益健康作用具有影响，特别是与抵消与正常和异常衰老相关的人类认知功能下降有关。虽然研究结果与认知能力下降风险最大的人，特别是老年人，最相关，但研究的变化和所涉及的机制对所有人都有意义。事实上，健康的大脑老化的概念是通过合理的饮食建议的应用植根于这一建议的核心。随着人类平均寿命的增加，这一建议变得更加相关。在学术界/工业界今后可能着手利用这种生物活动之前，必须有提案所产生的数据。对此类功能性食品的需求大幅增长（美国市场增长21%），因果关系数据对于欧洲食品标准局（European Food Standards Agency）制定特定含类黄酮产品的健康声明至关重要。这些产品将吸引那些希望暂时提高认知能力的人以及那些最有可能出现认知障碍的人（即50-80奥尔兹）。事实上，对旨在改善认知健康的新型饮食方法的需求从未如此之大，特别是考虑到与年龄相关的认知下降的发生率增加。所有形式的痴呆症的医疗保健费用每年高达230亿英镑，并且随着平均人口预期寿命的增加而继续增长。如果要减少患者人数和治疗费用，这种治疗痴呆症的预防性战略是必不可少的。更多地了解特定饮食如何促进健康的大脑衰老和调节认知能力的丧失，将有助于我们制定更有效的公共卫生建议，并鼓励人们做出更明智的健康食品选择。

项目成果

Flavonoid-rich orange juice is associated with acute improvements in cognitive function in healthy middle-aged males.

• DOI: 10.1007/s00394-015-1016-9
• 发表时间: 2016-09
• 期刊: European journal of nutrition
• 影响因子: 5
• 作者: Alharbi MH;Lamport DJ;Dodd GF;Saunders C;Harkness L;Butler LT;Spencer JP
• 通讯作者: Spencer JP

High-flavonoid intake induces cognitive improvements linked to changes in serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor: Two randomised, controlled trials.

• DOI: 10.3233/nha-1615
• 发表时间: 2016-10-27
• 期刊: Nutrition and healthy aging
• 作者: Neshatdoust S;Saunders C;Castle SM;Vauzour D;Williams C;Butler L;Lovegrove JA;Spencer JP
• 通讯作者: Spencer JP

The metabolome of [2-(14)C](-)-epicatechin in humans: implications for the assessment of efficacy, safety, and mechanisms of action of polyphenolic bioactives.

• DOI: 10.1038/srep29034
• 发表时间: 2016-07-01
• 期刊: Scientific reports
• 影响因子: 4.6
• 作者: Ottaviani JI;Borges G;Momma TY;Spencer JP;Keen CL;Crozier A;Schroeter H
• 通讯作者: Schroeter H

The effect of flavanol-rich cocoa on cerebral perfusion in healthy older adults during conscious resting state: a placebo controlled, crossover, acute trial.

在有意识的静息状态下，健康老年人中富含黄酮醇的可可醇对脑灌注的影响：安慰剂控制，跨界，急性试验。

• DOI: 10.1007/s00213-015-3972-4
• 发表时间: 2015-09
• 期刊: Psychopharmacology
• 影响因子: 3.4
• 作者: Lamport DJ;Pal D;Moutsiana C;Field DT;Williams CM;Spencer JP;Butler LT
• 通讯作者: Butler LT