title: The association of antioxidants and cognition in the Nurses' Health Study.
abstract: The authors examined long-term antioxidant intake in relation to cognitive decline among older women. Beginning in 1980, Nurses' Health Study (NHS) participants completed dietary assessments every 4 years; in 1995-2001, 16,010 participants aged ≥70 years completed initial cognitive assessments, which were repeated 3 times at 2-year intervals. Long-term antioxidant intake was averaged from 1980 through the time of initial cognitive interviews. Multivariable-adjusted linear regression was used to estimate mean differences in rates of cognitive decline across categories of vitamin E, vitamin C, and carotenoid intake; statistical tests were 2-sided. No associations were evident for vitamin E or total carotenoid intake and cognitive decline (e.g., after multivariable adjustment, P-trend = 0.44 and P-trend = 0.51, respectively, for a global composite score averaging all 6 cognitive tests), although higher lycopene intake and lower vitamin C intake were related to slower cognitive decline. In alternative analyses of overall cognitive status at older ages (averaging all 4 cognitive assessments), results for vitamins E and C were generally null, but higher carotenoid intake was related to better cognition. Overall, long-term vitamin E and C intakes were not consistently related to cognition, although greater consumption of carotenoids may have cognitive benefits in older adults.
authors.affiliation: Channing Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA. nheed@channing.harvard.edu
authors.forename: Elizabeth E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Devore
authors.forename: Jae H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Meir J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Stampfer
authors.forename: Francine
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Grodstein
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009726:Nurses; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016387:Women's Health
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D014810:Vitamin E; D002338:Carotenoids; D001205:Ascorbic Acid