Enhancing Children's Cognitive Function and Achievement through Carotenoid Consumption

项目摘要 充足的饮食质量有可能促进儿童的认知健康，并对儿童的健康产生持久的影响。 孩子的学习能力和成就。我的实验室已经鉴定出叶黄素，一种植物色素， 在深绿色蔬菜中含量丰富的类胡萝卜素，特别适合于支持儿童 认知和成就。叶黄素是神经组织中最主要的类胡萝卜素，具有抗氧化作用 穿过神经膜此外，叶黄素，沿着与两种其它类胡萝卜素（即，玉米黄质和 中玉米黄质）作为黄斑色素在黄斑中积累，已知黄斑色素与脑 叶黄素。我的工作将黄斑色素光密度（MPOD）-一种非侵入性的视网膜和大脑测量方法 叶黄素-更大的儿童认知功能。然而，叶黄素和玉米黄质的认知意义 儿童的摄入量尚未直接调查。这项建议旨在建立因果关系 叶黄素摄入量认知功能和学习成绩之间的关系中心假设是叶黄素 消费将有利于青少年前的认知功能和学业成就。我还预计， 认知结果的改善将通过MPOD的改善来介导。这些假设将由以下人员进行检验： 进行一项随机安慰剂对照双盲试验，以检查9个月类胡萝卜素的影响， 补充剂对8-10岁儿童MPOD、认知（注意力和记忆力）和成绩的影响 （N=288，144/组）。活性补充剂将包括10毫克叶黄素+2毫克玉米黄质。这项工作将提供 改善饮食习惯以实现最佳儿童认知功能的建议的证据基础 和成就。这项拟议中的研究与人类健康和NIH的使命有关，因为它将提供 新的数据支持基于证据的建议，以改善饮食习惯， 儿童期的功能和成就。

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.