Comparisons of plasma/serum micronutrients between Okinawan and Oregonian elders: a pilot study.
Certain micronutrients are protective against cognitive decline. We examined whether there is any uniform pattern of circulating micronutrients cross-culturally that are associated with successful cognitive aging. For the U.S. sample, we used the stored serum/plasma of 115 participants, collected in Oregon, USA. The Okinawa sample consisted of 49 participants selected using similar inclusion criteria as the Oregon sample, from the Keys to Optimal Cognitive Aging Project. All participants were aged 85 years and older without cognitive impairment. We found that the Okinawan elders used fewer vitamin supplements but had similar levels of vitamin B(12) and α-tocopherol, lower folate and γ-tocopherol, compared with Oregonian elders. That is, we did not find a uniform pattern of circulating micronutrients, suggesting that micronutrients other than those examined here or other lifestyle factors than nutrition could play an important role in achieving successful cognitive aging.
Dodge
Hiroko H
HH
Department of Neurology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239-3098, USA. dodgeh@ohsu.edu
Katsumata
Yuriko
Y
Todoriki
Hidemi
H
Yasura
Shoutoku
S
Willcox
D Craig
DC
Bowman
Gene L
GL
Willcox
Bradley
B
Leonard
Scott
S
Clemons
Aaron
A
Oken
Barry S
BS
Kaye
Jeffrey A
JA
Traber
Maret G
MG
D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000097:blood; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D018977:Micronutrients / Q000097:blood*; D009922:Oregon; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011188:Potassium / Q000097:blood; D012964:Sodium / Q000097:blood; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000097:blood; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol / Q000097:blood; D024504:gamma-Tocopherol / Q000097:blood
D018977:Micronutrients; D006710:Homocysteine; D024504:gamma-Tocopherol; D005492:Folic Acid; D012964:Sodium; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol; D014805:Vitamin B 12; D011188:Potassium