title: Dietary antioxidant intake and its association with cognitive function in an ethnically diverse sample of US adults.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dietary antioxidants can inhibit reactions accompanying neurodegeneration and thus prevent cognitive impairment. We describe associations of dietary antioxidants with cognitive function in a large biracial population, while testing moderation by sex, race, and age and mediation by depressive symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a cross-sectional analysis of 1274 adults (541 men and 733 women) aged 30 to 64 years at baseline (mean [standard deviation] = 47.5 [9.3]) in the Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity Across the Lifespan Study, Baltimore city, MD. Cognitive performance in the domains of memory, language/verbal, attention, spatial, psychomotor speed, executive function, and global mental status were assessed. The 20-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale was used to measure depressive symptoms. Dietary intake was assessed with two 24-hour recalls, estimating daily consumption of total carotenoids and vitamins A, C, and E per 1000 kcal.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among key findings, 1 standard deviation (∼ 2.02 mg/1000 kcal) higher vitamin E was associated with a higher score on verbal memory, immediate recall (β = +0.64 [0.19], p = .001), and better language/verbal fluency performance (β = +0.53 [0.16], p = .001), particularly among the younger age group. Women with higher vitamin E intake (β = +0.68 [0.21], p = .001) had better performance on a psychomotor speed test. The vitamin E-verbal memory association was partially mediated by depressive symptoms (proportion mediated = 13%-16%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In sum, future cohort studies and dietary interventions should focus on associations of dietary vitamin E with cognitive decline, specifically for domains of verbal memory, verbal fluency, and psychomotor speed.
authors.affiliation: From the National Institute on Aging (M.A.B., M.H.K.-T., M.K.E., A.B.Z.), NIA/NIH/IRP, Baltimore, Maryland; Department of Behavioral Health and Nutrition (M.T.F.-K.), University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware; Graduate Program in Public Health (H.A.B.), Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, Virginia; Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Occupational Health, (J.S.K.) McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; and Statistical Information Systems (M.A.M.), MedStar Research Institute, Baltimore, Maryland.
authors.forename: May A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Beydoun
authors.forename: Marie T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Fanelli-Kuczmarski
authors.forename: Melissa H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Kitner-Triolo
authors.forename: Hind A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Beydoun
authors.forename: Jay S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Kaufman
authors.forename: Marc A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Mason
authors.forename: Michele K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.forename: Alan B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Zonderman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D000975:Antioxidants; D001205:Ascorbic Acid; D001288:Attention; D002338:Carotenoids; D003071:Cognition; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D056344:Executive Function; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D014481:United States; D014801:Vitamin A; D014810:Vitamin E; D044465:White People
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D014801:Vitamin A; D014810:Vitamin E; D002338:Carotenoids; D001205:Ascorbic Acid