Vitamin D May Lessen Age-related Cognitive
Decline
May 26, 2009
Eating fish long considered 'brain food' may really be good for the old grey
matter, as is a healthy dose of sunshine, new research suggests.
University of Manchester scientists in collaboration with colleagues from other
European centers have shown that higher levels of vitamin D primarily synthesized
in the skin following sun exposure but also found in certain foods such as oily
fish are associated with improved cognitive function in middle-aged and older
men.
The study, published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry,
compared the cognitive performance of more than 3,000 men aged 40 to 79 years at
eight test centers across Europe.
The researchers found that men with higher levels of vitamin D performed
consistently better in a simple and sensitive neuropsychological test that
assesses an individual's attention and speed of information processing.
"Previous studies exploring the relationship between vitamin D and
cognitive performance in adults have produced inconsistent findings but we
observed a significant, independent association between a slower information
processing speed and lower levels of vitamin D," said lead author Dr David
Lee, in Manchester's School of Translational Medicine.
"The main strengths of our study are that it is based on a large population
sample and took into account potential interfering factors, such as depression,
season and levels of physical activity.
"Interestingly, the association between increased vitamin D and faster
information processing was more significant in men aged over 60 years, although
the biological reasons for this remain unclear."
"The positive effects vitamin D appears to have on the brain need to be
explored further but certainly raise questions about its potential benefit for minimizing
ageing-related declines in cognitive performance."
Source: Manchester University
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