Enhancing Children's Cognitive Function and Achievement through Carotenoid Consumption

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Project Abstract Adequate diet quality has the potential to promote childhood cognitive health and have a lasting impact on children’s ability for learning and achievement. My laboratory has identified that lutein, a plant pigment or carotenoid found in rich quantities in dark green vegetables, is uniquely suitable for supporting childhood cognition and achievement. Lutein is the predominant carotenoid in neural tissue, serving roles as an antioxidant across neural membranes. Further, lutein, along with two other carotenoids (i.e., zeaxanthin and mesozeaxanthin) accumulate in the macular as macular pigment, which is known to strongly correlate with brain lutein. My work has linked macular pigment optical density (MPOD) – a noninvasive measure of retinal and brain lutein – to greater childhood cognitive function. However, the cognitive implications of lutein and zeaxanthin intake in children have not been directly investigated. This proposal aims to establish a causal relationship between lutein intake, cognitive function, and academic performance. The central hypothesis is that lutein consumption will benefit cognitive function and academic achievement in preadolescents. I also anticipate that gains in cognitive outcomes will be mediated by the improvement in MPOD. These hypotheses will be tested by conducting a randomized placebo-controlled double-blind trial to examine the effects of 9-month carotenoid supplementation on MPOD, cognition (attention and memory), and achievement among 8-10-year-old children (N=288, 144/group). The active supplement will comprise of 10mg lutein + 2mg zeaxanthin. This work will provide the evidence-base for recommendations to improve dietary practices for optimal childhood cognitive function and achievement. The proposed research is relevant to human health and the NIH mission because it will provide novel data supporting evidence-based recommendations to improve dietary practices for optimal cognitive function and achievement in childhood.