Examining techniques for measuring the effects of nutrients on mental performance and mood state

PURPOSE: Intake of specific nutrients has been linked to mental states and various indices of cognitive performance although the effects are often subtle and difficult to interpret. Measurement of so-called objective variables (e.g. reaction times) is often considered to be the gold standard for assessing outcomes in this field of research. It can, however, be argued that data on subjective experience (e.g. mood) are also important and may enrich existing objective data. The aim of this review is to evaluate methods for measuring mental performance and mood, considering the definition of subjective mood and the validity of measures of subjective experience. METHODS: A multi-stakeholder expert group was invited by ILSI Europe to come to a consensus around the utility of objective and subjective measurement in this field, which forms the basis of the paper. Therefore, the present review reflects a succinct overview of the science but is not intended to be a systematic review. RESULTS: The proposed approach extends the traditional methodology using standard 'objective' measurements to also include the consumers' subjective experiences in relation to food. Specific recommendations include 1) using contemporary methods to capture transient mood states; 2) using sufficiently sensitive measures to capture effects of nutritional intervention; 3) considering the possibility that subjective and objective responses will occur over different time frames; and 4) recognition of the importance of expectancy and placebo effects for subjective measures. CONCLUSIONS: The consensus reached was that the most informative approach should involve collection and consideration of both objective and subjective data

Nutrition for the ageing brain: towards evidence for an optimal diet

As people age they become increasingly susceptible to chronic and extremely debilitating brain diseases. The precise cause of the neuronal degeneration underlying these disorders, and indeed normal brain ageing remains however elusive. Considering the limits of existing preventive methods, there is a desire to develop effective and safe strategies. Growing preclinical and clinical research in healthy individuals or at the early stage of cognitive decline has demonstrated the beneficial impact of nutrition on cognitive functions. The present review is the most recent in a series produced by the Nutrition and Mental Performance Task Force under the auspice of the International Life Sciences Institute Europe (ILSI Europe). The latest scientific advances specific to how dietary nutrients and non-nutrient may affect cognitive ageing are presented. Furthermore, several key points related to mechanisms contributing to brain ageing, pathological conditions affecting brain function, and brain biomarkers are also discussed. Overall, findings are inconsistent and fragmented and more research is warranted to determine the underlying mechanisms and to establish dose-response relationships for optimal brain maintenance in different population subgroups. Such approaches are likely to provide the necessary evidence to develop research portfolios that will inform about new dietary recommendations on how to prevent cognitive decline

The InterLACE study: design, data harmonization and characteristics across 20 studies on women's health

The International Collaboration for a Life Course Approach to Reproductive Health and Chronic Disease Events (InterLACE) project is a global research collaboration that aims to advance understanding of women's reproductive health in relation to chronic disease risk by pooling individual participant data from several cohort and cross-sectional studies. The aim of this paper is to describe the characteristics of contributing studies and to present the distribution of demographic and reproductive factors and chronic disease outcomes in InterLACE

Insulin signaling protein phosphorylation and growth factors.

<p>(A) IRS-1 phosphorylation ser(307) *, p<0.05 compared to control (CON). (B) hippocampal IGF-1 (C) hippocampal GDNF. (D) hippocampal VEGF, p = 0.06, MCT10 compared to control. All data are mean + SEM. n = 5–6 per group.</p

MCT8 and MCT10 groups maintained weight while exhibiting higher levels of ketones and MCFA compared to the control group.

<p>(A) percentage change in weight, *p<0.05, **p = 0.01 vs. control, n = 9–12 per group. (B) plasma beta-hydroxybutyrate (mM), *p<0.05, n = 7–8 per group. (C) brain hydroxybutyrate (μg/ml), n = 3–4 per group. (D) plasma octanoic acid (μM),***p<0.001, n = 8 per group. (E) plasma decanoic acid (μM), ***, p<0.001, n = 8 per group; All data are mean + SEM.</p

synapse-associated proteins and growth-related pathways.

<p>(A) S6K(p70) phosphorylation (pS 240/244) F(2,8) = 10.8 *, p<0.05 compared to control. (B) Akt phsophorylation (pS473) F(2,8) = 8.58 *, p<0.05 compared to control (CON). (C) PSD-95 protein expression. (D) synaptophysin (SYP) protein expression F(2,8) = 3.29 *, p<0.05 compared to control (CON). (E) Ube3a protein expression F(2,8) = 4.891 *, p<0.05 compared to control. All data are mean + SEM. n = 6 per group.</p

Cognitive performance was increased in MCT groups compared to control diet by one way ANOVA analysis.

<p>(A) social recognition at baseline and 8 weeks after chronic MCT treatment.**p<0.01; *p<0.05 vs. control. n = 10 per group. (B) novel object recognition after 8 wk chronic MCT treatment, * p<0.05 vs. control; n = 9 per group. (C) distance travelled in an open field. * p = <0.05 vs control. (D) latency to touch a novel object in arena center, * p<0.05 vs control; All data are mean + SEM.</p