Low Estradiol Levels and Cognitive Function

Researchers writing in the medical journal Neurobiology of Aging, say that “Older women with low estradiol levels were more likely to experience decline in global cognitive function and verbal memory, and a similar trend was observed for verbal memory in men.”

Yaffe K, Barnes D, Lindquist K, Cauley J, Simonsick EM, Penninx B, Satterfield S, Harris T, Cummings SR. Endogenous sex hormone levels and risk of cognitive decline in an older biracial cohort. Neurobiol Aging. 2007 Feb;28(2):171-8.
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Postmenopause and Cognitive Performance

Researchers writing in the medical journal Maturitas look into the nature of cognitive decline across a range of functions within a period of 5 years from early to late postmenopausal stage.

Elsabagh S, Hartley DE, File SE. Cognitive function in late versus early postmenopausal stage.
Maturitas. 2007 Jan 20;56(1):84-93.

CONCLUSIONS: Although there were no differences in attention, verbal fluency and memory, executive function was significantly poorer in the late postmenopausal stage women, suggesting that this aspect of cognition deteriorates more rapidly than other functions. This change was independent of change in age, suggesting that hormonal changes between the early and late postmenopausal stages may be responsible.

Nutrition in Brain Development and Aging: Role of Essential Fatty Acids

Researchers writing in the the medical journal Nutrition Reviews say that essential fatty acids (EFAs) are increasingly seen to be of value in limiting the cognitive decline during aging.

Uauy R, Dangour AD. Nutrition in brain development and aging: role of essential fatty acids. Nutr Rev. 2006 May;64(5 Pt 2):S24-33; discussion S72-91.

From the abstract: The essential fatty acids (EFAs), particularly the n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPs), are important for brain development during both the fetal and postnatal period.

They are also increasingly seen to be of value in limiting the cognitive decline during aging.

EFA deficiency was first shown over 75 years ago, but the more subtle effects of the n-3 fatty acids in terms of skin changes, a poor response to linoleic acid supplementation, abnormal visual function, and peripheral neuropathy were only discovered later. Both n-3 and n-6 LCPs play important roles in neuronal growth, development of synaptic processing of neural cell interaction, and expression of genes regulating cell differentiation and growth.

Aging is also associated with decreased brain levels of DHA: fish consumption is associated with decreased risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, and the reported daily use of fish-oil supplements has been linked to improved cognitive function scores, but confirmation of these effects is needed.

MORE ON THIS SUBJECT
Eating Fish Slows Aging of the Brain
Study Published in the October 10, 2005 issue of the Archives of Neurology.

In brief, researchers looked at people 65 years of age and over to see if intakes of fish and omega-3 fatty acids protected against “age-related cognitive decline.”

What did they find? Quoted from the article in the Archives of Neurology:
“Dietary intake of fish was inversely associated with cognitive decline over 6 years in this older, biracial community study.

The rate of decline was reduced by 10% to 13% per year among persons who consumed 1 or more fish meals per week compared with those with less than weekly consumption.

The rate reduction is the equivalent of being 3 to 4 years younger in age.

There were no consistent associations with the omega-3 fatty acids, although the effect estimates were in the direction of slower decline.”

Poor Sleep and Cognitive Function

Blackwell T, Yaffe K, Ancoli-Israel S, Schneider JL, Cauley JA, Hillier TA, Fink HA, Stone KL. Poor Sleep Is Associated With Impaired Cognitive Function in Older Women: The Study of Osteoporotic Fractures. The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences 61:405-410 (2006)

Researchers writing in the medical journal The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences say that Disturbed Sleep was related to poorer cognition.

From the article abstract:
Background. The association between objectively measured sleep and cognition among community-dwelling elderly persons remains understudied. This observational, cross-sectional analysis examined this association.

Methods. Results are from 2932 women (mean age 83.5 years) in the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures between 2002 and 2004. Cognitive function was measured…Sleep parameters measured objectively using actigraphy included total sleep time, sleep efficiency, sleep latency, wake after sleep onset (WASO), and total nap time.

Conclusion. Objectively measured disturbed sleep was consistently related to poorer cognition, whereas total sleep time was not. This finding may suggest that it is disturbance of sleep rather than quantity that affects cognition.

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Green Tea and Cognitive Function

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Green Tea and Cognitive Function

Kuriyama S, Hozawa A, Ohmori K, Shimazu T, Matsui T, Ebihara S, Awata S, Nagatomi R, Arai H, Tsuji I. Green tea consumption and cognitive function: a cross-sectional study from the Tsurugaya Project. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 83, No. 2, 355-361, February 2006

Researchers writing in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition say that green tea consumption can improve cognitive function. The researchers measured the effects of drinking 3 cups a week, 4 to 6 cups a week, and two cups a day.

From the study abstract:
Background: “Although considerable experimental and animal evidence shows that green tea may possess potent activities of neuroprotection, neurorescue, and amyloid precursor protein processing that may lead to cognitive enhancement, no human data are available.”

Objective: “The objective was to examine the association between green tea consumption and cognitive function in humans.”

Results: “Higher consumption of green tea was associated with a lower prevalence of cognitive impairment.”

Conclusion: “A higher consumption of green tea is associated with a lower prevalence of cognitive impairment in humans.”

Eating Fish Slows Aging of the Brain

Study Published in the October 10, 2005 issue of the Archives of Neurology.
You can read the entire article here

In brief, researchers looked at people 65 years of age and over to see if intakes of fish and omega-3 fatty acids protected against “age-related cognitive decline.”

What did they find? Quoted from the article in the Archives of Neurology:
“Dietary intake of fish was inversely associated with cognitive decline over 6 years in this older, biracial community study.

The rate of decline was reduced by 10% to 13% per year among persons who consumed 1 or more fish meals per week compared with those with less than weekly consumption.

The rate reduction is the equivalent of being 3 to 4 years younger in age.

There were no consistent associations with the omega-3 fatty acids, although the effect estimates were in the direction of slower decline.”

Cognitive Function

Eating Fish Slows Aging of the Brain
In brief, researchers looked at people 65 years of age and over to see if intakes of fish and omega-3 fatty acids protected against “age-related cognitive decline.”

Green Tea and Cognitive Function
Researchers writing in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition say that green tea consumption can improve cognitive function. The researchers measured the effects of drinking 3 cups a week, 4 to 6 cups a week, and two cups a day.

Poor Sleep and Cognitive Function
Researchers writing in the medical journal The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences say that Disturbed Sleep was related to poorer cognition.

Nutrition in Brain Development and Aging: Role of Essential Fatty Acids
Researchers writing in the the medical journal Nutrition Reviews say that essential fatty acids (EFAs) are increasingly seen to be of value in limiting the cognitive decline during aging.

Physical Function and Future Dementia
Medical researchers writing in the medical journal the Archives of Internal Medicine say that “Lower levels of physical performance were associated with an increased risk of dementia and AD (Alzheimer’s Disease)

Postmenopause and Cognitive Performance
Researchers writing in the medical journal Maturitas look into the nature of cognitive decline across a range of functions within a period of 5 years from early to late postmenopausal stage.

Low Estradiol Levels and Cognitive Function
Researchers writing in the medical journal Neurobiology of Aging, say that “Older women with low estradiol levels were more likely to experience decline in global cognitive function and verbal memory, and a similar trend was observed for verbal memory in men.”