A study of 92 older adults with memory complaints found that those with higher dietary intake of polyphenols, plant compounds found in fruits, vegetables and other plant foods, were significantly less likely to have mild cognitive impairment (MCI) than those with lower intake, even after adjusting for age, sex, education and other factors. Flavonoids and lignans showed the strongest links, with flavones standing out among flavonoid subclasses. However, total polyphenol intake wasn’t significantly correlated with cognitive test scores directly, and while some weak associations with inflammatory markers emerged, the findings didn’t confirm an anti-inflammatory mechanism. Since the study was small and cross-sectional, researchers caution the results are exploratory and cannot prove that polyphenols directly prevent cognitive decline, calling for longitudinal and interventional studies to confirm the link.
Read more at NewsMedical