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Association of dietary fat composition with cognitive performance and brain morphology in cognitively healthy individuals

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 January 2021

Silke Matura Open the ORCID record for Silke Matura [Opens in a new window] ,
David Prvulovic ,
Nina Mohadjer ,
Fabian Fusser ,
Viola Oertel ,
Andreas Reif ,
Johannes Pantel  and
Tarik Karakaya
Silke Matura*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Goethe-University, Frankfurt, Germany
David Prvulovic
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Goethe-University, Frankfurt, Germany
Nina Mohadjer
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Goethe-University, Frankfurt, Germany
Fabian Fusser
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Goethe-University, Frankfurt, Germany
Viola Oertel
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Goethe-University, Frankfurt, Germany
Andreas Reif
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Goethe-University, Frankfurt, Germany
Johannes Pantel
Affiliation:
Institute of General Practice, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
Tarik Karakaya
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Goethe-University, Frankfurt, Germany
*
Author for correspondence: Silke Matura, Email: Silke.Matura@kgu.de
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Abstract

Background:

Dietary lipids (omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3) PUFAs) and saturated fatty acids (SFA) seem to play an important role in brain health. (n-3) PUFAs have been shown to improve cerebral perfusion and to promote synaptogenesis. In this study, we investigated the relationship between dietary fat composition, cognitive performance and brain morphology in cognitively healthy individuals.

Methods:

A total of 101 cognitively healthy participants (age: 42.3 ± 21.3 years, 62 females) were included in this study. Verbal memory was assessed using the California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT). Intake of (n-3) PUFA and SFA was calculated from food-frequency questionnaire-derived data (EPIC-FFQ). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data were obtained (Siemens Trio 3T scanner) and grey matter volumes (GMV) were assessed by voxel-based morphometry (VBM/SPM8). We examined the association of SFA/(n-3) PUFA ratio and memory performance as well as GMV using regression models adjusted for age, sex, education, body mass index, apolipoprotein E (APOE) status and alcohol consumption. For VBM data, a multiple regression analysis was performed using the same covariates as mentioned before with intracranial volume as an additional covariate.

Results:

A high SFA/(n-3) PUFA ratio was significantly (p < 0.05) correlated with poorer verbal memory performance and with lower GMV in areas of the left prefrontal cortex that support memory processes.

Conclusions:

These findings suggest that a diet rich in PUFAs is likely to exert favourable effects on brain morphology in brain areas important for memory and executive functions. This could constitute a possible mechanism for maintaining cognitive health in older age.

Keywords

dietary fat compositioncognitiongrey mattermemoryMRI
Type
Original Article
Information
Acta Neuropsychiatrica , Volume 33 , Issue 3 , June 2021 , pp. 134 - 140
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Copyright
© Scandinavian College of Neuropsychopharmacology 2021

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