Linkages of biomarkers of zinc with cognitive performance and taste acuity in adolescent girls.
A cross-sectional study (n = 403) was conducted to examine the relationship of plasma zinc (PZ) and erythrocyte zinc (EZ) levels with cognitive performance and taste acuity for salt in Indian adolescent girls. PZ, EZ and hemoglobin were estimated in schoolgirls (10-16 years). Cognitive performance was assessed by simple-reaction-time (SRT), recognition-reaction-time (RRT), visual-memory, Raven's Progressive Matrices (RPM) test. Taste acuity was determined by recognition-thresholds-for-salt (RTS) using 10 different salt concentrations. Low PZ (<0.7 mg/l) and EZ (<8 µg/g of packed cells) were observed in 72% and 23.6% of girls, respectively. PZ and EZ were negatively associated with SRT (r = -0.41, -0.34), RRT (r = -0.49, -0.4), and positively with Memory (r = 0.43, 0.34) and RPM (r = 0.39, 0.31; p < 0.05) and remained significant after adjusting for socio-demographic factors and hemoglobin. RTS was impaired in 18.3% girls and significantly correlated with EZ (r = -0.31, p < 0.05). Zinc deficiency in adolescent girls was associated with poor cognition and taste function implying need for improving their dietary zinc intakes.
Hirabai Cowasji Jehangir Medical Research Institute , Pune, Maharashtra , India and.
Shashi A
SA
Chiplonkar
Rama
R
Kawade
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D003071:Cognition; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003677:Deficiency Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D009752:Nutritional Status; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D013651:Taste Disorders / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D055697:Taste Perception; D015032:Zinc / Q000097:blood* / Q000172:deficiency
D015415:Biomarkers; D015032:Zinc
Cognitive function; Indian adolescent girls; hemoglobin; reaction time; taste acuity; zinc status