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Cognitive impairment is growing globally. All phases of dementia are marked by declines in reminiscence and government perform. Earlier analysis has examined whether or not micronutrient ranges might relate to cognitive resilience.
Copper is an important hint ingredient that participates in neuronal vitality metabolism, neurotransmitter synthesis, and antioxidant regulation. Earlier research have proposed each protecting and dangerous roles for copper in neurodegenerative illness, relying on its bioavailability and focus in neural tissue.
Within the research, “Association between dietary copper intake and cognitive function in American older adults,” revealed in Scientific Experiences, researchers designed a cross-sectional evaluation to judge the connection between dietary copper consumption and cognitive efficiency.
A cohort of two,420 members aged 60 years or older was chosen from the 2011–2014 Nationwide Well being and Diet Examination Survey (NHANES). All members had full information on dietary consumption and cognitive perform.
Dietary copper consumption was derived from two averaged 24-hour dietary recollects. Cognitive perform was measured utilizing 4 devices: the Digit Image Substitution Take a look at (DSST), the Animal Fluency Take a look at (AFT), the fast and delayed recall subtests of the CERAD protocol, and a composite Z rating reflecting world cognition. Copper consumption was stratified into quartiles.
Multivariate linear regression fashions had been used to check associations. Within the totally adjusted mannequin, members within the highest copper consumption quartile (This autumn, ≥1.44 mg/day) had larger scores than these within the lowest quartile (Q1,
Contributors within the larger copper consumption quartiles had been extra more likely to be male, non-Hispanic white, married, and better earnings, with decrease smoking prevalence and extra favorable dietary profiles, together with larger consumption of zinc, iron, selenium, and whole vitality.
Spline-based regression modeling confirmed an inverted L-shaped affiliation between copper consumption and DSST, AFT, and Z rating. Cognitive take a look at efficiency improved with copper consumption as much as thresholds of 1.63 mg/day (DSST), 1.42 mg/day (AFT), and 1.22 mg/day (Z rating).
Past these thresholds, associations with DSST, AFT, and Z rating misplaced statistical significance, displaying close to zero change and large confidence intervals..
Contributors with a historical past of stroke confirmed a stronger affiliation between copper consumption and world cognition. On this subgroup, This autumn consumption was related to a better Z rating than Q1 (β=0.55, 95% CI 0.24, 0.86; p for interplay=0.009). No important interplay results had been noticed for different demographic or medical variables.
Authors conclude that copper consumption was related to higher cognitive perform take a look at scores in older adults. Associations had been strongest at reasonable consumption ranges and most pronounced in people with prior stroke.
Though the exact mechanisms underlying the connection between dietary copper consumption and cognitive perform stay unknown, the authors state that the findings “… are considered biologically plausible. Dietary copper is crucial for brain health and may confer protective effects on cognitive function through its involvement in antioxidant defense, neurotransmitter synthesis, and energy metabolism.”
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Extra info:
Weiai Jia et al, Affiliation between dietary copper consumption and cognitive perform in American older adults: NHANES 2011–2014, Scientific Experiences (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-09280-9
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