Automated free speech analysis reveals distinct markers of Alzheimer's and frontotemporal dementia.

Dementia can disrupt how people experience and describe events as well as their own role in them. Alzheimer's disease (AD) compromises the processing of entities expressed by nouns, while behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) entails a depersonalized perspective with increased third-person references. Yet, no study has examined whether these patterns can be captured in connected speech via natural language processing tools. To tackle such gaps, we asked 96 participants (32 AD patients, 32 bvFTD patients, 32 healthy controls) to narrate a typical day of their lives and calculated the proportion of nouns, verbs, and first- or third-person markers (via part-of-speech and morphological tagging). We also extracted objective properties (frequency, phonological neighborhood, length, semantic variability) from each content word. In our main study (with 21 AD patients, 21 bvFTD patients, and 21 healthy controls), we used inferential statistics and machine learning for group-level and subject-level discrimination. The above linguistic features were correlated with patients' scores in tests of general cognitive status and executive functions. We found that, compared with HCs, (i) AD (but not bvFTD) patients produced significantly fewer nouns, (ii) bvFTD (but not AD) patients used significantly more third-person markers, and (iii) both patient groups produced more frequent words. Machine learning analyses showed that these features identified individuals with AD and bvFTD (AUC = 0.71). A generalizability test, with a model trained on the entire main study sample and tested on hold-out samples (11 AD patients, 11 bvFTD patients, 11 healthy controls), showed even better performance, with AUCs of 0.76 and 0.83 for AD and bvFTD, respectively. No linguistic feature was significantly correlated with cognitive test scores in either patient group. These results suggest that specific cognitive traits of each disorder can be captured automatically in connected speech, favoring interpretability for enhanced syndrome characterization, diagnosis, and monitoring.

Meta-regression of sulcal patterns, clinical and environmental factors on neurodevelopmental outcomes in participants with multiple CHD types.

Congenital heart disease affects 1% of infants and is associated with impaired neurodevelopment. Right- or left-sided sulcal features correlate with executive function among people with Tetralogy of Fallot or single ventricle congenital heart disease. Studies of multiple congenital heart disease types are needed to understand regional differences. Further, sulcal pattern has not been studied in people with d-transposition of the great arteries. Therefore, we assessed the relationship between sulcal pattern and executive function, general memory, and processing speed in a meta-regression of 247 participants with three congenital heart disease types (114 single ventricle, 92 d-transposition of the great arteries, and 41 Tetralogy of Fallot) and 94 participants without congenital heart disease. Higher right hemisphere sulcal pattern similarity was associated with improved executive function (Pearson r = 0.19, false discovery rate-adjusted P = 0.005), general memory (r = 0.15, false discovery rate P = 0.02), and processing speed (r = 0.17, false discovery rate P = 0.01) scores. These positive associations remained significant in for the d-transposition of the great arteries and Tetralogy of Fallot cohorts only in multivariable linear regression (estimated change ß = 0.7, false discovery rate P = 0.004; ß = 4.1, false discovery rate P = 0.03; and ß = 5.4, false discovery rate P = 0.003, respectively). Duration of deep hypothermic circulatory arrest was also associated with outcomes in the multivariate model and regression tree analysis. This suggests that sulcal pattern may provide an early biomarker for prediction of later neurocognitive challenges among people with congenital heart disease.

The Effects of Physical Activity Interventions on Children's Perception: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Perception is an essential component of children's psychological development, which is foundational to children's ability to understand and adapt to their external environment. Perception is also a crucial tool for understand and navigating one's surroundings, enabling children to identify objects and react appropriately to settings or situations. Substantial evidence indicates that engaging in physical activity is beneficial for the development of children's perceptual abilities, as the two are closely intertwined. Still, more research is necessary to gain a full understanding of the impact of physical activity on children's perception. To further identify and quantify the effects of physical activity on a number of specific perceptions in children. Systematic review and meta-analysis. Searches were performed using five online databases (i.e., PubMed, SPORTDiscus, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library) for articles published up to and including June 2023 to identify eligible citations. A total of 12 randomized controlled trials, encompassing 1,761 children under the age of 12, were analyzed. Overall, physical activity as an intervention showed a notable effect on the development of children's perceptions. The meta-analysis indicated that participating in physical activity for 30 minutes around, daily, had a greater impact on children's visual perception and executive functioning than on their motor perception, body perception, and global self-worth (SMD = 1.33, 95% CI: 0.75, 1.91, p < 0.001). The effects of physical activity on children's perception performance varied by participant characteristics, with physical activity having better effects on body perception and overall self-worth in children who were obese or overweight. Furthermore, physical activity can also enhance executive function and attention in children with developmental coordination disorders. The effects of physical activity on children's perception performance varied according to the intervention time, with different activity durations resulting in different perception performances. Therefore, parents and educators must prioritize an appropriate length of physical activity time for children to ensure their optimal growth and development. Registration and protocol CRD42023441119.

Executive function and spatial abilities in physically active children: an explorative study.

BACKGROUND: Regular physical activity has consistently shown promise in improving cognitive functioning among children. However, there is a shortage of comprehensive studies that delve into these benefits across various cognitive domains. This preliminary investigation aimed to discern potential disparities in cognitive performance between active and sedentary children, with a specific focus on inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility, and visuo-spatial working memory abilities. METHODS: The study employed a cross-sectional design encompassing 26 children (mean age 9.53 ± 2.20 years), categorized into two groups: Active and Sedentary. Executive functions were assessed using the NEPSY-II, while visuo-spatial working memory abilities were evaluated through the table version of the Radial Arm Maze (table-RAM) task. All outputs were analyzed with One-way ANOVAS or Kruskal-Wallis Tests to assess differences between Active and Sedentary children in both executive functioning and visuo-spatial working memory processes. RESULTS: The findings revealed that the Active group outperformed the sedentary group in inhibitory control (F1,23 = 4.99, p = 0.03*), cognitive flexibility (F1,23 = 5.77, p = 0.02*), spatial span (F1,23 = 4.40, p = 0.04*), and working memory errors (F1,23 = 8.59, p = 0.01**). Both spatial span and working memory errors are parameters closely associated with visuo-spatial working memory abilities. CONCLUSIONS: Although preliminary, these results offer evidence of a positive link between physical activity and cognitive functioning in children. This indicates the importance of promoting active behaviors, especially within educational environments.

Mediating role of inhibitory control in relationships between cardiovascular fitness and academic achievement in preadolescents.

Cardiovascular fitness (CRF) has been consistently linked to cognitive performance and academic achievement, and inhibitory control has been recognized as a key predictor of academic success. However, few studies have explored whether inhibitory control mediates the relationship between CRF and academic performance in children, and the existing findings are inconclusive because of certain limitations. This study investigated the mediating role of inhibitory control in the association between CRF and academic achievement among preadolescents while also addressing the related limitations. This study enrolled a total of 175 elementary school students (70 girls, mean age=11.17years, standard deviation=0.7), who participated in a half-mile test for assessing their CRF level. Additionally, inhibitory control was measured using the Stroop Color and Word Test (Stroop test), and language and mathematics tests were administered to measure their academic performance. The results revealed that the participants with higher CRF levels achieved superior performance in tasks requiring a high level of inhibitory control (r=0.291, P<0.001) and in Chinese language (r=-0.415, P<0.001) and mathematics (r=-0.366, P<0.001) tests even when gender, age, and body fat were considered. Furthermore, a mediation analysis revealed that inhibitory control, as measured through the incongruent trials of the Stroop test, partially mediated the relationship between CRF and academic performance (language: indirect effect=-0.013, 95% CI [-0.019, -0.008]; math: indirect effect=-0.013, 95% CI [-0.021, -0.009]). These findings have major implications for child development, emphasizing the key role of inhibitory control in the beneficial effects of CRF on academic achievement.

Association between physical activity, body composition, and cognitive performance among female office workers.

Regular physical activity can potentially prevent cognitive decline. While most studies focused on the general decline of the elderly and child and adolescent population, aging is a gradual process and cognitive decline can commence in middle age. Other than the middle-aged working population, gender-specific nuances are another overlooked area regarding the relationship between physical activity and cognitive performance. Therefore, this study examines the associations and benefits of maintaining regular physical activity habits with cognitive function and body composition in middle-aged female office workers. The results show that middle-aged females exhibited age-related declines in working memory, while no significant age-related changes are observed in reaction time and executive function. However, the regular exercise group demonstrates the ability to maintain their cognitive performance across age, unlike the sedentary group, who experiences declines in reaction time and executive function with age. Our findings highlight the significant impact of age on specific cognitive functions in middle-aged females and the positive influence of regular exercise on cognitive performance. Furthermore, this study demonstrates the potential of "the Brain Gym" App for efficient cognitive function assessment. The findings underscore the importance of regular exercise for cognitive well-being in middle-aged females and provide valuable insights into the relationship between body composition and cognitive function.

A single bout of aerobic exercise does not alter inhibitory control preparatory set cerebral hemodynamics: Evidence from the antisaccade task.

A single bout of exercise improves executive function (EF) and is a benefit - in part -attributed to an exercise-mediated increase in cerebral blood flow enhancing neural efficiency. Limited work has used an event-related protocol to examine postexercise changes in preparatory phase cerebral hemodynamics for an EF task. This is salient given the neural efficiency hypothesis' assertion that improved EF is related to decreased brain activity. Here, event-related transcranial Doppler ultrasound was used to measure pro- (saccade to target) and antisaccades (saccade mirror-symmetrical target) preparatory phase middle cerebral artery velocity (MCAv) prior to and immediately after 15-min of aerobic exercise. Antisaccades produced longer reaction times (RT) and an increased preparatory phase MCAv than prosaccades - a result attributed to greater EF neural activity for antisaccades. Antisaccades selectively produced a postexercise RT reduction (ps < 0.01); however, antisaccade preparatory phase MCAv did not vary from pre- to postexercise (p=0.53) and did not correlate with the antisaccade RT benefit (p = 0.31). Accordingly, results provide no evidence that improved neural efficiency indexed via functional hyperemia is linked to a postexercise EF behavioural benefit. Instead, results support an evolving view that an EF benefit represents the additive interplay between interdependent exercise-mediated neurophysiological changes.

Impacts of early deprivation on behavioral and neural measures of executive function in early adolescence.

Children reared in institutional settings experience early deprivation that has lasting implications for multiple aspects of neurocognitive functioning, including executive function (EF). Changes in brain development are thought to contribute to these persistent EF challenges, but little research has used fMRI to investigate EF-related brain activity in children with a history of early deprivation. This study examined behavioral and neural data from a response conflict task in 12-14-year-olds who spent varying lengths of time in institutional care prior to adoption (N = 84; age at adoption - mean: 15.85 months, median: 12 months, range: 4-60 months). In initial analyses, earlier- and later-adopted (EA, LA) youth were compared to a group of children raised in their biological families (non-adopted, NA). NA youth performed significantly more accurately than LA youth, with EA youth falling in between. Imaging data suggested that previously institutionalized (PI) youth activated additional frontoparietal regions, including dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, as compared to NA youth. In addition, EA youth uniquely activated medial prefrontal regions, and LA uniquely activated parietal regions during this task. A separate analysis in a larger group of PI youth examined whether behavioral or brain measures of EF varied with the duration of deprivation experienced. Duration of deprivation was negatively associated with activation of default mode network (DMN) regions. Overall, results suggest that there are lasting effects of deprivation on EF, but that those who are removed from institutional care earlier may be able to recruit additional neural resources as a compensatory mechanism.

Adapted Home-Based Exercises in Dementia: An Exploratory Pre-post Pilot and Feasibility Study.

The goals of this exploratory pre-post pilot and feasibility study (NCT04916964) were to assess the feasibility and effectiveness of an adapted Test-and-Exercise home-based exercise program on basic functional mobility and executive functions in persons with prodromal or mild Alzheimer's disease. Participants followed an 8 week exercise program at home, once per week with a physiotherapist and twice per week with their usual caregiver or independently. Functional mobility and executive functions were assessed before and after the intervention. Feasibility criteria were recruitment opportunity, participation agreement rate, cost adequacy, and drop-out rate. Twelve participants aged 80.83 ± 4.65 years took part in the study. All the basic functional mobility measures showed small effect sizes. Concerning executive functions, 5 measures showed small to moderate effect sizes. The 4 feasibility criteria were met. A larger scale study would, however, need adaptations and prior research on the ability of this population to use touch-screen technology.

Semantic associative abilities and executive control functions predict novelty and appropriateness of idea generation.

Novelty and appropriateness are two fundamental components of creativity. However, the way in which novelty and appropriateness are separated at behavioral and neural levels remains poorly understood. In the present study, we aim to distinguish behavioral and neural bases of novelty and appropriateness of creative idea generation. In alignment with two established theories of creative thinking, which respectively, emphasize semantic association and executive control, behavioral results indicate that novelty relies more on associative abilities, while appropriateness relies more on executive functions. Next, employing a connectome predictive modeling (CPM) approach in resting-state fMRI data, we define two functional network-based models-dominated by interactions within the default network and by interactions within the limbic network-that respectively, predict novelty and appropriateness (i.e., cross-brain prediction). Furthermore, the generalizability and specificity of the two functional connectivity patterns are verified in additional resting-state fMRI and task fMRI. Finally, the two functional connectivity patterns, respectively mediate the relationship between semantic association/executive control and novelty/appropriateness. These findings provide global and predictive distinctions between novelty and appropriateness in creative idea generation.

Posterior default mode network is associated with the social performance in male children with autism spectrum disorder: A dynamic causal modeling analysis based on triple-network model.

The triple-network model has been widely applied in neuropsychiatric disorders including autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, the mechanism of causal regulations within the triple-network and their relations with symptoms of ASD remains unclear. 81 male ASD and 80 well matched typically developing control (TDC) were included in this study, recruited from Autism Brain Image Data Exchange-I datasets. Spatial reference-based independent component analysis was used to identify the anterior and posterior part of default-mode network (aDMN and pDMN), salience network (SN), and bilateral executive-control network (ECN) from resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data. Spectral dynamic causal model and parametric empirical Bayes with Bayesian model reduction/average were adopted to explore the effective connectivity (EC) within triple-network and the relationship between EC and autism diagnostic observation schedule (ADOS) scores. After adjusting for age and site effect, ASD and TDC groups both showed inhibition patterns. Compared with TDC, ASD group showed weaker self-inhibition in aDMN and pDMN, stronger inhibition in pDMN→aDMN, weaker inhibition in aDMN→LECN, pDMN→SN, LECN→SN, and LECN→RECN. Furthermore, negative relationships between ADOS scores and pDMN self-inhibition strength, as well as with the EC of pDMN→aDMN were observed in ASD group. The present study reveals imbalanced effective connections within triple-networks in ASD children. More attentions should be focused at the pDMN, which modulates the core symptoms of ASD and may serve as an important region for ASD diagnosis and the target region for ASD treatments.

EEG tensor decomposition delineates neurophysiological principles underlying conflict-modulated action restraint and action cancellation.

Executive functions are essential for adaptive behavior. One executive function is the so-called 'interference control' or conflict monitoring another one is inhibitory control (i.e., action restraint and action cancelation). Recent evidence suggests an interplay of these processes, which is conceptually relevant given that newer conceptual frameworks imply that nominally different action/response control processes are explainable by a small set of cognitive and neurophysiological processes. The existence of such overarching neural principles has as yet not directly been examined. In the current study, we therefore use EEG tensor decomposition methods, to look into possible common neurophysiological signatures underlying conflict-modulated action restraint and action cancelation as mechanism underlying response inhibition. We show how conflicts differentially modulate action restraint and action cancelation processes and delineate common and distinct neural processes underlying this interplay. Concerning the spatial information modulations are similar in terms of an importance of processes reflected by parieto-occipital electrodes, suggesting that attentional selection processes play a role. Especially theta and alpha activity seem to play important roles. The data also show that tensor decomposition is sensitive to the manner of task implementation, thereby suggesting that switch probability/transitional probabilities should be taken into consideration when choosing tensor decomposition as analysis method. The study provides a blueprint of how to use tensor decomposition methods to delineate common and distinct neural mechanisms underlying action control functions using EEG data.

[Subcategories of Attention Function and Its Assessment Methods].

The subcategories of attention function have various classification methods. In this section, we have listed subcategories that are easily applicable to neuropsychology, namely selective, sustained, spatial, and divided attention, attentional inhibition, and attention shifting. Among them, selective attention is a function excluding unnecessary information from a myriad of data while selecting essential information. Sustained attention, in contrast, is a function directing attention to information over a certain period and maintaining it during task execution, are the two basic subfunctions in attention. Attentional inhibition, divided attention, and attention shifting are regarded as attentional control functions or executive control of attention, which are closely related with working memory and executive function. However, there is also an overlap observed among these subfunctions. Since our cognitive activities are intertwined with attention functions, it is challenging to purely extract specific attention functions.

Cognitive impairment in schizophrenia is associated with prefrontal-striatal functional hypoconnectivity and striatal dopaminergic abnormalities.

BACKGROUND: A better understanding of the mechanisms underlying cognitive impairment in schizophrenia is imperative, as it causes poor functional outcomes and a lack of effective treatments. AIMS: This study aimed to investigate the relationships of two proposed main pathophysiology of schizophrenia, altered prefrontal-striatal connectivity and the dopamine system, with cognitive impairment and their interactions. METHODS: Thirty-three patients with schizophrenia and 27 healthy controls (HCs) who are right-handed and matched for age and sex were recruited. We evaluated their cognition, functional connectivity (FC) between the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC)/middle frontal gyrus (MiFG) and striatum, and the availability of striatal dopamine transporter (DAT) using a cognitive battery investigating attention, memory, and executive function, resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging with group independent component analysis and single-photon emission computed tomography with 99mTc-TRODAT. RESULTS: Patients with schizophrenia exhibited poorer cognitive performance, reduced FC between DLPFC/MiFG and the caudate nucleus (CN) or putamen, decreased DAT availability in the left CN, and decreased right-left DAT asymmetry in the CN compared to HCs. In patients with schizophrenia, altered imaging markers are associated with cognitive impairments, especially the relationship between DLPFC/MiFG-putamen FC and attention and between DAT asymmetry in the CN and executive function. CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first to demonstrate how prefrontal-striatal hypoconnectivity and altered striatal DAT markers are associated with different domains of cognitive impairment in schizophrenia. More research is needed to evaluate their complex relationships and potential therapeutic implications.

[The Frontal Lobe and Top-down Control of Attention].

The concept of attention in cognitive science encompasses a bidirectional nature: bottom-up attention based on the salience of sensory stimuli, and top-down attention, which involves voluntary control over aspects such as intensity, allocation, selectivity, and duration. Top-down attention is believed to be primarily realized through the frontal lobes that monitor on-going information processing. This monitoring helps detect situations requiring intervention and manipulates lower-level information processing systems as a part of executive functions.

The Parkinson's Disease Composite of Executive Functioning: A Measure for Detecting Cognitive Decline in Clinical Trials.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Executive functioning is one of the first domains to be impaired in Parkinson disease (PD), and the majority of patients with PD eventually develop dementia. Thus, developing a cognitive endpoint measure specifically assessing executive functioning is critical for PD clinical trials. The objective of this study was to develop a cognitive composite measure that is sensitive to decline in executive functioning for use in PD clinical trials. METHODS: We used cross-sectional and longitudinal follow-up data from PD participants enrolled in the PD Cognitive Genetics Consortium, a multicenter setting focused on PD. All PD participants with Trail Making Test, Digit Symbol, Letter-Number Sequencing, Semantic Fluency, and Phonemic Fluency neuropsychological data collected from March 2010 to February 2020 were included. Baseline executive functioning data were used to create the Parkinson's Disease Composite of Executive Functioning (PaCEF) through confirmatory factor analysis. We examined the changes in the PaCEF over time, how well baseline PaCEF predicts time to cognitive progression, and the required sample size estimates for PD clinical trials. PaCEF results were compared with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), individual tests forming the PaCEF, and tests of visuospatial, language, and memory functioning. RESULTS: A total of 841 participants (251 no cognitive impairment [NCI], 480 mild cognitive impairment [MCI], and 110 dementia) with baseline data were included, of which the mean (SD) age was 67.1 (8.9) years and 270 were women (32%). Five hundred forty five PD participants had longitudinal neuropsychological data spanning 9 years (mean [SD] 4.5 [2.2] years) and were included in analyses examining cognitive decline. A 1-factor model of executive functioning with excellent fit (comparative fit index = 0.993, Tucker-Lewis index = 0.989, and root mean square error of approximation = 0.044) was used to calculate the PaCEF. The average annual change in PaCEF ranged from 0.246 points per year for PD-NCI participants who remained cognitively unimpaired to -0.821 points per year for PD-MCI participants who progressed to dementia. For PD-MCI, baseline PaCEF, but not baseline MoCA, significantly predicted time to dementia. Sample size estimates were 69%-73% smaller for PD-NCI trials and 16%-19% smaller for PD-MCI trials when using the PaCEF rather than MoCA as the endpoint. DISCUSSION: The PaCEF is a sensitive measure of executive functioning decline in PD and will be especially beneficial for PD clinical trials.

Further unpacking individual differences in mind wandering: The role of emotional valence and awareness.

Previous work has established a link between executive attention ability and mind wandering propensity, these studies typically collapse thought reports into a single category of task-unrelated thoughts (TUTs). We have shown that these TUTs can be differentiated by the emotional valence of their content. Awareness of TUTs might also be an important to consider, yet little work has been done on this front. The current study conceptually replicated and extended previous work by investigating the relationship between individual differences in executive attention, emotional valence and awareness of TUTs. Latent variable models indicated that Executive Attention was differentially correlated with emotional valence TUTs. However, only Attention Control was related to frequency of mind wandering with awareness. Intra-individual analyses indicated that negatively valenced TUTs and TUTs that occurred without awareness were associated with worse performance. Considering different dimensions of TUTs can provide a more complete picture of individual differences in mind wandering.

Impaired executive functioning in children of women with epilepsy.

OBJECTIVE: While neurodevelopmental symptoms are often seen in children of mothers with epilepsy, research specifically addressing executive function (EF) in this population is limited. This study aims to investigate EF in children of mothers with epilepsy, both with and without fetal exposure to anti-seizure medications, compared to typically developing children whose mothers do not have epilepsy. METHODS: We evaluated EF in children aged 8 to 17 years born to mothers with clinically validated diagnoses of epilepsy, using the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function completed by the mothers. The results were then compared to a typically developing control group at the same age living in the same geographic area. RESULTS: The results showed significantly higher levels of EF problems in children of mothers with epilepsy who were exposed (p = 0.005, d = 0.63), and unexposed (p = 0.001, d = 0.74) to anti-seizure medications during pregnancy, compared to typically developing children. There was no significant difference in EF problems between the exposed and unexposed groups. These findings remained statistically significant after adjusting for mothers' education levels, and when excluding participants exposed to valproate during pregnancy. SIGNIFICANCE: This study highlights the increased risk of EF problems in children of mothers with epilepsy, independent of exposure to anti-seizure medications. Findings underscore the importance of continuous monitoring of EF in these children and highlights the need for further research into the diverse factors affecting EF development in this group.

The association between adherence to the EAT-Lancet diet and cognitive ageing.

BACKGROUND: The EAT-Lancet commission has proposed a dietary pattern that is both sustainable and healthy. However, the impact of this diet on cognition in older adults remains unexplored. Therefore, we examined the association between adherence to the EAT-Lancet diet and cognitive ageing. METHODS: We used data from a previous intervention study involving cognitively healthy community-dwelling adults aged ≥65 years. Adherence to the EAT-Lancet diet was calculated using a recently published index and a 190-item food frequency questionnaire. Global and domain-specific cognitive functioning were assessed at baseline and after 2 years using a neuropsychological test battery. Multivariate-adjusted linear regression was conducted to examine associations between EAT-Lancet diet adherence and cognitive functioning (n = 630) and 2-year change (n = 302). RESULTS: Greater adherence to the EAT-Lancet diet was associated with better global cognitive functioning (ß per SD = 3.7 points [95% CI]: 0.04 [0.00, 0.08]) and slower rate of decline (ß per SD [95% CI]: 0.05 [0.02, 0.08]). With respect to domain-specific functioning, beneficial associations were observed cross-sectionally for executive functioning (P < 0.01), and longitudinally for change in executive functioning (P < 0.01) and attention and working memory (P < 0.01). The degree of adherence to the EAT-Lancet was not associated with (changes in) information processing speed or episodic memory. CONCLUSION: We demonstrated that greater adherence to the EAT-Lancet diet is associated with better global cognitive functioning and slower cognitive decline among cognitively healthy older adults. Further research is needed to confirm these findings and assess the potential benefits of the EAT-Lancet diet for the ageing population in a broader context.

Association between Flavonoid Intake and Cognitive Executive Function among African American and White Adults in the Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity across the Life Span (HANDLS) Study.

Healthy dietary patterns rich in flavonoids may benefit cognitive performance over time. Among socioeconomically disadvantaged groups, the association between flavonoid intake and measures of cognition is unclear. This study sought to identify associations between flavonoid intake and cognitive performance among Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity across the Life Span (HANDLS) study participants (n = 1947) across three study visits. Flavonoid intakes were assessed via two 24-h dietary recalls. Cognitive performance was assessed via the Trail Making Test (TMT)-A and TMT-B, which provide measures of attention and executive function, respectively. Mixed effects linear regression was used to model TMT scores over three study visits against visit 1 (v1) flavonoid intake, time (years from v1), and the interaction between v1 flavonoid intake and time, capturing both the cross-sectional association between flavonoid intake and time at v1 as well as the longitudinal association between v1 flavonoid intake and the change in TMT scores over time. Prior to adjustment, inverse cross-sectional associations at v1 were observed between (1) anthocyanidin intake and TMT-A scores for the overall sample and (2) total flavonoid, anthocyanidin, flavan-3-ol, flavone, and flavonol intake and TMT-B scores for the overall sample and among White adults. Only the association between anthocyanidin intake and TMT-B at v1 among White adults persisted after adjustment (for demographic characteristics such as age). One possible explanation for the few significant associations is universally low flavonoid intakes resulting from the consumption of an unhealthy dietary pattern.