Antioxidants and cognitive performance
This article was originally published in The Tan Sheet
Executive Summary
Plasma concentrations of various antioxidants - especially beta-carotene and alpha-tocopherol - are associated with healthy cognitive function in middle-aged and older individuals, conclude R. Schmidt, MD, et al., reporting results of the Austrian Stroke Prevention Study in the November Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. During the study, 1,769 subjects 50 to 75 with no history or signs of neuropsychotic disease underwent various laboratory tests and had their cognitive functions measured using the Mattis Dementia Rating Scale. Alpha-tocopherol was the only agent that remained significantly associated with cognitive functioning after "possible confounders including age, sex, month of blood sampling, years of education, smoking, lipid status and major risk factors for stroke" were taken into account. Researchers note the "biological significance of this finding needs to be explored further"