The serum metabolome mediates the concert of diet, exercise, and neurogenesis, determining the risk for cognitive decline and dementia

Introduction: Diet and exercise influence the risk of cognitive decline (CD) and dementia through the food metabolome and exercise-triggered endogenous factors, which use the blood as a vehicle to communicate with the brain. These factors might act in concert with hippocampal neurogenesis (HN) to shape CD and dementia. Methods: Using an in vitro neurogenesis assay, we examined the effects of serum samples from a longitudinal cohort (n = 418) on proxy HN readouts and their association with future CD and dementia across a 12-year period. Results: Altered apoptosis and reduced hippocampal progenitor cell integrity were associated with exercise and diet and predicted subsequent CD and dementia. The effects of exercise and diet on CD specifically were mediated by apoptosis. Discussion: Diet and exercise might influence neurogenesis long before the onset of CD and dementia. Alterations in HN could signify the start of the pathological process and potentially represent biomarkers for CD and dementia

Lockdown and eating habits among professionals and students

Des que l’Organització Mundial de la Salut (OMS) va declarar la COVID-19 una pandèmia mundial, el nombre de casos i morts ha anat augmentant ràpidament i ha obligat els països de tot el món a confinar la seva població per controlar la propagació del virus. En aquest estudi, s’han avaluat els canvis en els hàbits dietètics i l’estil de vida durant el confinament de març a juny del 2020 dins d’una població espanyola específica amb coneixements acadèmics en ciències de l’alimentació. Es va fer arribar un qüestionari en línia a professionals i estudiants de l’àmbit de les ciències de l’alimentació, que incloïa preguntes sobre les dades sociodemogràfiques, els hàbits dietètics, els comportaments relacionats amb l’alimentació i l’estil de vida. Durant el confinament, aquesta població va mostrar un augment significatiu en la ingesta de fruites, verdures, llegums, ous, peix i iogurt, juntament amb una disminució del consum de begudes alcohòliques. D’altra banda, també es va observar un augment del consum d’aperitius salats, xocolata i brioixeria casolana. Així mateix, les dades també van revelar una pitjor qualitat del son i un augment en el nombre d’hores dedicades a treballar i a realitzar activitats sedentàries. En general, aquesta població va mostrar una tendència envers l’adopció d’hàbits dietètics més saludables durant el confinament per la COVID-19 en comparació amb la població general.Since the World Health Organization (WHO) declared Covid-19 a global pandemic, the number of cases and deaths has risen rapidly, forcing countries around the world to confine their population in order to control the virus’s spread. In this study, changes in dietary habits and lifestyle during the Covid-19 lockdown from March to June 2020 have been evaluated in a specific Spanish population with an academic knowledge of food sciences. An online questionnaire, which covered sociodemographic data, dietary habits, food-related behaviours and lifestyle was distributed among professionals and students in the field of food sciences. During the lockdown, this population reported a significant increase in the consumption of fruits, vegetables, legumes, eggs, fish, and yogurt, along with a decrease in the intake of alcoholic beverages. Nevertheless, there was also an increase in the consumption of salty snacks, chocolate and homemade pastries. Poor sleep quality and increased working hours and sitting time were also reported. Overall, the studied population showed trends towards healthier dietary habits during the Covid-19 lockdown in comparison with the general population

Anti-Inflammatory Effects of the Mediterranean Diet in the Early and Late Stages of Atheroma Plaque Development

Objective. To evaluate the long-term effects of a Mediterranean diet (MeDiet) intervention on the plasma concentrations of inflammatory and plaque stability-related molecules in elderly people at high risk for cardiovascular disease. Design and Setting. 66 participants from primary care centers affiliated with the Hospital Clinic of Barcelona were randomized into 3 groups: MeDiet plus extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) or nuts and a low-fat diet (LFD). At baseline and at 3 and 5 years, we evaluated the changes in the plasma concentrations of 24 inflammatory biomarkers related to the different stages of the atherosclerotic process by Luminex®. Results. At 3 and 5 years, both MeDiet groups showed a significant reduction of IL-6, IL-8, MCP-1, and MIP-1β (P < 0.05; all) compared to LFD. IL-1β, IL-5, IL-7, IL-12p70, IL-18, TNF-α, IFN-γ, GCSF, GMCSF, and ENA78 (P < 0.05; all) only decreased in the MeDiet+EVOO group and E-selectin and sVCAM-1 (P < 0.05; both) in the MeDiet+nuts group. Conclusions. Long-term adherence to MeDiet decreases the plasma concentrations of inflammatory biomarkers related to different steps of atheroma plaque development in elderly persons at high cardiovascular risk

Exploration of the Gut-Brain Axis through Metabolomics Identifies Serum Propionic Acid Associated with Higher Cognitive Decline in Older Persons

The gut microbiome is involved in nutrient metabolism and produces metabolites that, via the gut-brain axis, signal to the brain and influence cognition. Human studies have so far had limited success in identifying early metabolic alterations linked to cognitive aging, likely due to limitations in metabolite coverage or follow-ups. Older persons from the Three-City population-based cohort who had not been diagnosed with dementia at the time of blood sampling were included, and repeated measures of cognition over 12 subsequent years were collected. Using a targeted metabolomics platform, we identified 72 circulating gut-derived metabolites in a case-control study on cognitive decline, nested within the cohort (discovery n = 418; validation n = 420). Higher serum levels of propionic acid, a short-chain fatty acid, were associated with increased odds of cognitive decline (OR for 1 SD = 1.40 (95% CI 1.11, 1.75) for discovery and 1.26 (1.02, 1.55) for validation). Additional analyses suggested mediation by hypercholesterolemia and diabetes. Propionic acid strongly correlated with blood glucose (r = 0.79) and with intakes of meat and cheese (r > 0.15), but not fiber (r = 0.04), suggesting a minor role of prebiotic foods per se, but a possible link to processed foods, in which propionic acid is a common preservative. The adverse impact of propionic acid on metabolism and cognition deserves further investigation

Association of dietary and nutritional factors with cognitive decline, dementia, and depressive symptomatology in older individuals according to a neurogenesis-centred biological susceptibility to brain ageing

Hippocampal neurogenesis (HN) occurs throughout the life course and is important for memory and mood. Declining with age, HN plays a pivotal role in cognitive decline (CD), dementia, and late-life depression, such that altered HN could represent a neurobiological susceptibility to these conditions. Pertinently, dietary patterns (e.g., Mediterranean diet) and/or individual nutrients (e.g., vitamin D, omega 3) can modify HN, but also modify risk for CD, dementia, and depression. Therefore, the interaction between diet/nutrition and HN may alter risk trajectories for these ageing-related brain conditions. Using a subsample (n = 371) of the Three-City cohort-where older adults provided information on diet and blood biobanking at baseline and were assessed for CD, dementia, and depressive symptomatology across 12 years-we tested for interactions between food consumption, nutrient intake, and nutritional biomarker concentrations and neurogenesis-centred susceptibility status (defined by baseline readouts of hippocampal progenitor cell integrity, cell death, and differentiation) on CD, Alzheimer's disease (AD), vascular and other dementias (VoD), and depressive symptomatology, using multivariable-adjusted logistic regression models. Increased plasma lycopene concentrations (OR [95% CI]  =  1.07 [1.01, 1.14]), higher red meat (OR [95% CI]  =  1.10 [1.03, 1.19]), and lower poultry consumption (OR [95% CI]  =  0.93 [0.87, 0.99]) were associated with an increased risk for AD in individuals with a neurogenesis-centred susceptibility. Increased vitamin D consumption (OR [95% CI]  =  1.05 [1.01, 1.11]) and plasma γ-tocopherol concentrations (OR [95% CI]  =  1.08 [1.01, 1.18]) were associated with increased risk for VoD and depressive symptomatology, respectively, but only in susceptible individuals. This research highlights an important role for diet/nutrition in modifying dementia and depression risk in individuals with a neurogenesis-centred susceptibility