Are vegetables better food for brain?

Untuk meneliti hubungan antara perubahan fungsi kognitif dengan konsumsi buah dan sayuran di kalangan manula, para ahli melakukan penelitian kohort prospektif dengan 3.718 subyek berusia >65 tahun.

Rerata skor kognitif pada awal penelitian adalah 0,18 dan terjadi penurunan sebesar 0,04 standard unit pertahun. Kelompok yang paling sedikit makan sayur ternyata mengalami penurunan fungsi kognitif lebih cepat dibanding kelompok yang paling banyak makan sayur. Mereka yang makan sayur 3-4 porsi perhari mengalami penurunan skor kognitif 40% lebih lambat dibanding mereka yang makan sayur kurang dari 1 porsi perhari. Sedangkan tingkat konsumsi buah tidak berhubungan dengan perubahan kognitif.

Kesimpulan banyak konsumsi sayuran dapat menghambat penurunan fungsi kognitif pada manula.

Abstract

Neurology 2006;67:1370-1376 October 24 2006 © 2006 American Academy of Neurology. Associations of vegetable and fruit consumption with age-related cognitive change M. C. Morris, ScD, D. A. Evans, MD, C. C. Tangney, PhD, J. L. Bienias, ScD and R. S. Wilson, PhD

Objective: To examine the association between rates of cognitive change and dietary consumption of fruits and vegetables among older persons. Methods: The authors conducted a prospective cohort study of 3,718 participants, aged 65 years and older of the Chicago Health and Aging Project. Participants completed a food frequency questionnaire and were administered at least two of three cognitive assessments at baseline, 3-year, and 6-year follow-ups. Cognitive function was measured using the average z-score of four tests: the East Boston Tests of immediate memory and delayed recall, the Mini-Mental State Examination, and the Symbol Digit Modalities Test. Results: The mean cognitive score at baseline for the analyzed cohort was 0.18 (range: -3.5 to 1.6), and the overall mean change in score per year was a decline of 0.04 standardized units. In mixed effects models adjusted for age, sex, race, and education, compared with the rate of cognitive decline among persons in the lowest quintile of vegetable intake (median of 0.9 servings/day), the rate for persons in the fourth quintile (median, 2.8 servings/day) was slower by 0.019 standardized units per year (p = 0.01), a 40% decrease, and by 0.018 standardized units per year (p = 0.02) for the fifth quintile (median, 4.1 servings/day), or a 38% decrease in rates. The association remained significant (p for linear trend = 0.02) with further control of cardiovascular-related conditions and risk factors. Fruit consumption was not associated with cognitive change. Conclusion: High vegetable but not fruit consumption may be associated with slower rate of cognitive decline with older age.

From Rush Institute for Healthy Aging (M.C.M., D.A.E., J.L.B.), Department of Preventive Medicine (M.C.M., J.L.B.), Department of Internal Medicine (M.C.M., D.A.E.), Department of Clinical Nutrition (C.C.T.), Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center (R.S.W.), Department of Neurological Sciences (R.S.W.), and Department of Psychology (R.S.W.), Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL.