Effects of the Multicomponent Cognitive Training Program BrainProtect in Cognitively Healthy Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Cognitive integrity is a fundamental driver of health. The exact structure of strategies against cognitive impairment is still under debate. OBJECTIVE: To compare the short-term effects of a multicomponent cognitive training (BrainProtect) with those of general health counseling (GHC) on cognitive abilities and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in healthy adults in Germany. METHODS: In this parallel randomized controlled trial (RCT), 132 eligible cognitively healthy adults (age ≥50 years, Beck Depression Inventory ≤9/63; Montreal Cognitive Assessment ≥26/30) were randomized to either GHC (N = 72) or to intervention with BrainProtect (intervention group, IG; N = 60). IG participants received 8 weekly sessions of 90 min of the group-based BrainProtect program focusing on executive functions, concentration, learning, perception, and imagination, plus nutritional and physical exercise units. Before and after intervention, all participants underwent neuropsychological testing and HRQoL evaluation, blinded for pretest. RESULTS: No significant training effect was observed for the primary endpoint of global cognition as assessed by CERAD-Plus-z Total Score (p = 0.113; ηp2 = 0.023). Improvements in several cognitive subtests were shown in the IG (N = 53) compared to the GHC (N = 62) without adverse events. Differences reached significance for verbal fluency (p = 0.021), visual memory (p = 0.013), visuo-constructive functions (p = 0.034), and HRQoL (p = 0.009). Significance was lost after adjustment, though several changes were clinically relevant. CONCLUSION: BrainProtect did not significantly impact global cognition in this RCT. Nevertheless, the results of some outcomes indicate clinically meaningful changes, so that a strengthening of the cognitive performance by BrainProtect cannot be excluded. Further studies with larger sample size are needed to confirm these findings.

Influence of a 12-Month Structured Exercise Program on the Micronutrient-Cognitive Fitness-Physical Association Profiles in Mild Cognitive Impairment.

Background: Preventive lifestyle strategies have shown promise to slow down or prevent age-related cognitive decline. However, evidence on the reciprocal longitudinal relationships between nutrition biomarkers and cognitive and physical performance is lacking. Studying nutritional, cognitive, and physical profiles over time may help to overcome this knowledge gap. Objective: To investigate the relationship of plasma levels of the robust nutritional- and antioxidant defense-related biomarkers carotenoids and tocopherols with both indicators of cognitive and physical performance in persons with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) participating in a structured exercise program. Methods: Data from 40 participants with MCI of the NeuroExercise study were analyzed. Participants had undergone a blood withdrawal for the analysis of plasma concentrations of six carotenoids, two tocopherols and retinol prior to and after one-year of structured exercise. All participants had undergone a broad spectrum of cognitive and physical performance tests. Results: Significant associations between lipophilic micronutrients and cognitive/physical measures were observed that were previously found to play a role in cognitive and physical frailty. In particular, lutein, zeaxanthin, and lycopene are confirmed as robust, reliable, and stable indicators of nutritional defense. Importantly, these micronutrients were associated with cognitive measures prior to the physical training program and to a more prominent extent with indicators of motoric function after the physical exercise program. Conclusion: Specific profiles of lipophilic micronutrients are associated to cognitive performance measures and, especially after a structured exercise program, to indicators of physical performance.

Associations of Lipophilic Micronutrients with Physical and Cognitive Fitness in Persons with Mild Cognitive Impairment.

Age-associated cognitive impairment in general and dementia in particular are a global concern. Preventive lifestyle strategies are highly used but there is a lack of information on the reciprocal relationships between nutrition biomarkers and measures of both cognitive and physical performance. To fill this gap of knowledge, the relationship between plasma levels of the robust nutrition- and antioxidant defense-related biomarkers carotenoid and tocopherols and both indicators of cognitive and physical performance was investigated in a group of persons with mild cognitive impairment participating in the NeuroExercise Study at the German Sport University in Cologne, Germany. In 56 participants with full dataset, significant correlations independently of fruit and vegetable intake were found between plasma levels of ß-cryptoxanthin and Timed Up&Go test (p < 0.05), γ-tocopherol and number of daily steps (p < 0.01), as well as between four out of six measured carotenoids-lutein; zeaxanthin; ß-cryptoxanthin and ß-carotene-and the computerized CogState International Shopping List subtest (p < 0.01). In light of the increasing attention towards the nutritional cognitive neuroscience of carotenoids, computerized measures of cognitive performance might be further implemented in future studies investigating the effects of lifestyle interventions against cognitive and physical impairment.