title: Consuming functional foods enriched with plant sterol or stanol esters for 85 weeks does not affect neurocognitive functioning or mood in statin-treated hypercholesterolemic individuals.
abstract: Recent animal and human studies have shown that plant sterols and stanols, which are used as functional food ingredients to lower increased LDL cholesterol concentrations, pass the blood-brain barrier. Whether this affects neurocognitive functioning and mental well-being in humans has, to our knowledge, never been investigated. The aim of the present study was therefore to examine the effects of long-term plant sterol or stanol consumption on neurocognitive functioning and mood in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled dietary intervention trial. To this end, hypercholesterolemic individuals, aged 43-69 y, receiving stable statin treatment were randomly assigned to an 85-wk supplementation with margarines enriched with plant sterol esters (2.5 g/d), plant stanol esters (2.5 g/d), or placebo. At baseline and at the end of the intervention period, all participants underwent a cognitive assessment. In addition, subjective cognitive functioning and mood were assessed by means of questionnaires (Cognitive Failure Questionnaire and depression subscale of the Symptom Checklist 90, respectively). Long-term supplementation with plant sterol or stanol esters did not affect cognitive performance (memory, simple information processing speed, complex information processing speed, Letter-Digit Substitution test performance), subjective cognitive functioning, or mood. In conclusion, the present results indicate that long-term use of plant sterols or stanols at recommended intakes of 2.5 g/d does not affect neurocognitive functioning or mood in hypercholesterolemic individuals receiving statin treatment.
authors.affiliation: School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands. olga.schiepers@np.unimaas.nl
authors.forename: Olga J G
authors.initials: OJ
authors.lastname: Schiepers
authors.forename: Renate H M
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: de Groot
authors.forename: Martin P J
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: van Boxtel
authors.forename: Jelle
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jolles
authors.forename: Ariënne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: de Jong
authors.forename: Dieter
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lütjohann
authors.forename: Jogchum
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Plat
authors.forename: Ronald P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Mensink
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D000368:Aged; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D004032:Diet; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology*; D007858:Learning / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008383:Margarine; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010840:Phytosterols / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010919:Placebos; D012855:Sitosterols / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013850:Thinking / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D010840:Phytosterols; D010919:Placebos; D012855:Sitosterols; C407042:plant stanol ester; D008383:Margarine