title: Effects of resveratrol on memory performance, hippocampal functional connectivity, and glucose metabolism in healthy older adults.
abstract: Dietary habits such as caloric restriction or nutrients that mimic these effects may exert beneficial effects on brain aging. The plant-derived polyphenol resveratrol has been shown to increase memory performance in primates; however, interventional studies in older humans are lacking. Here, we tested whether supplementation of resveratrol would enhance memory performance in older adults and addressed potential mechanisms underlying this effect. Twenty-three healthy overweight older individuals that successfully completed 26 weeks of resveratrol intake (200 mg/d) were pairwise matched to 23 participants that received placebo (total n = 46, 18 females, 50-75 years). Before and after the intervention/control period, subjects underwent memory tasks and neuroimaging to assess volume, microstructure, and functional connectivity (FC) of the hippocampus, a key region implicated in memory functions. In addition, anthropometry, glucose and lipid metabolism, inflammation, neurotrophic factors, and vascular parameters were assayed. We observed a significant effect of resveratrol on retention of words over 30 min compared with placebo (p = 0.038). In addition, resveratrol led to significant increases in hippocampal FC, decreases in glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and body fat, and increases in leptin compared with placebo (all p < 0.05). Increases in FC between the left posterior hippocampus and the medial prefrontal cortex correlated with increases in retention scores and with decreases in HbA1c (all p < 0.05). This study provides initial evidence that supplementary resveratrol improves memory performance in association with improved glucose metabolism and increased hippocampal FC in older adults. Our findings offer the basis for novel strategies to maintain brain health during aging.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, NeuroCure Cluster of Excellence, and veronica.witte@charite.de agnes.floeel@charite.de.
authors.forename: A Veronica
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Witte
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology.
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kerti
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Research Group: Neuroanatomy and Connectivity, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Daniel S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Margulies
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, NeuroCure Cluster of Excellence, and Center for Stroke Research Berlin, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany; and veronica.witte@charite.de agnes.floeel@charite.de.
authors.forename: Agnes
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Flöel
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects; D005215:Fasting / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D020738:Leptin / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011794:Quercetin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000077185:Resveratrol; D013267:Stilbenes / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D001786:Blood Glucose; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D020738:Leptin; D011794:Quercetin; D000077185:Resveratrol; D013267:Stilbenes
keywords: Aging; CR-mimetic; HbA1c; microstructure; resting-state fMRI