Nutrition Interventions for Cognitive Enhancement
Purpose
By doing this study, researchers hope to learn how the Mediterranean and low-fat eating patterns affect memory, brain volume, brain antioxidant status and cardio-metabolic biomarkers, such as blood pressure and blood glucose, in cognitively normal older adults. Researchers also plan to examine underlying processes relating the patterns to brain health.
Condition
- Alzheimer Disease
Eligibility
- Eligible Ages
- Over 65 Years
- Eligible Genders
- All
- Accepts Healthy Volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria
- Cognitively normal older adults over the age of 65 (MMSE score > 25; AD8 score of 2 or less; no prior diagnosis of MCI, AD or dementia; and not medically treated for cognitive impairment or dementia) - Speak English as a primary language - Live in the Kansas City, Metropolitan area - Body Mass Index (BMI) range between 20 - 40 kg/m2
Exclusion Criteria
- Serious medical risk, such as type 1 diabetes mellitus, cancer, recent cardiac event (e.g. heart attach, angioplasty) - Taking the prescription drug Warfarin - Nut allergy, fish allergy (does not include shellfish) - Adherence to specialized diet regimen (e.g., vegan, etc.) - Evidence of severe major depression (GDS-SF > 5) or presence of a major psychiatric disorder that in the investigator's opinion, could interfere with adherence to research assessments or procedures - Alcohol (over 3 drinks per day or total of 18 per week) or drug abuse - Unwilling to be randomized to one of two diet interventions - Do not have access to or independence over grocery shopping and meal preparation (i.e. those in military, retirement community with reliance on dining facilities for meals) - Already consume a Mediterranean diet - Already consume a low-fat diet
Study Design
- Phase
- N/A
- Study Type
- Interventional
- Allocation
- Randomized
- Intervention Model
- Parallel Assignment
- Intervention Model Description
- Participants will be randomized to a dietary intervention; Mediterranean or Low-Fat, and will follow this eating pattern for 12 months.
- Primary Purpose
- Prevention
- Masking
- Single (Outcomes Assessor)
- Masking Description
- Raters - (psychometrician, brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA), and phlebotomy) will be blinded to the intervention group and will perform outcome assessments.
Arm Groups
| Arm | Description | Assigned Intervention |
|---|---|---|
|
Experimental Mediterranean Diet |
Follow a Mediterranean eating pattern and take a study supplement for one year. Dietary education will be provided by a Registered Dietitian. |
|
|
Active Comparator Low-fat Diet |
Follow a low-fat eating pattern and take a study supplement for one year. Dietary education will be provided by a Registered Dietitian. |
|
More Details
- Status
- Active, not recruiting
- Sponsor
- University of Kansas Medical Center
Study Contact
Detailed Description
Participants will be randomized to either a Mediterranean or low-fat eating pattern. Participation in the study will last about 13 months. Each person will be prescribed one of two eating patterns for 12 months. During the study, participants will be asked to track the food they eat and will be monitored by a registered dietitian. Participants will engage in monthly food demonstrations and cooking classes. Participants will pick up a bag of food items belonging to the prescribed eating pattern, on a weekly basis for 6 months, from a local grocery store chain. Participants have the option to continue in the study for up to 2 years for additional measurements. Potential participants need to be located within the Kansas City metro area.