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. 2022 Nov 4:9:1005857.
doi: 10.3389/fnut.2022.1005857. eCollection 2022.

The role of dietary patterns and erythrocyte membrane fatty acid patterns on mild cognitive impairment

Xuan Wang  1 , Tiantian Li  1 , Huini Ding  1 , Yuru Liu  2 , Xiaoqiang Liu  3 , Kang Yu  4 , Rong Xiao  1 , Yuandi Xi  1
Affiliations

The role of dietary patterns and erythrocyte membrane fatty acid patterns on mild cognitive impairment

Xuan Wang et al. Front Nutr. .

Abstract

Background: Dietary fatty acids have been shown to be associated with the development of cognition. However, research on the role of fatty acid intake in dietary patterns and fatty acid patterns (FAPs) in the development of cognitive function is limited. The aim of this study was to explore the correlation between dietary patterns and FAPs and to provide available evidence for preventing mild cognitive impairment (MCI) through these patterns.

Materials and methods: The 973 participants aged between 65 and 85 were recruited from 2020 to 2021 for this multicenter research in Beijing. Neuropsychological tests were used for cognitive evaluation, and data of dietary intake in the past 12 months were collected with semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. The erythrocyte membrane fatty acid profile was tested by chromatography and mass spectrometry lipid profiling. Factor analysis was used to derive the main dietary patterns and FAPs. Pearson's correlation or Spearman's correlation was used to explore the association between dietary patterns and FAPs. Binary logistic regression was applied to examine the relationship between patterns and cognitive function.

Results: Six dietary patterns and six FAPs were identified, explaining 53.4 and 80.9% of the total variance separately. After adjusting all potential confounders, T3 of the pattern 1 and FAP2 were the independent protect factors for MCI, respectively (OR 0.601, 95% CI [0.395, 0.914]; OR 0.108, 95% CI [0.019, 0.623]). Rich of SM (26:0), SM (24:1), and SM (26:1) is the characteristic of FAP2. A positive correlation was found between component scores of dietary pattern1 and FAP2 (r = 0.441, p = 0.001). People who adhered to a reasonable intake of animal flesh consumed more various long-chain fatty acids as well.

Conclusion: The erythrocyte membrane metabolites, SM (26:0), SM (24:1), and SM (26:1), might function as early biomarkers for predicting or monitoring of cognitive aging in the elderly. The dietary pattern with recommended animal flesh consumption was significantly associated with FAP characterized by very long-chain SMs. This dietary pattern affected FAP, which might achieve the ultimate goal of neuroprotection through the very long-chain SMs. A rational intake of dietary fatty acids might be an effective way on preventing MCI in the elderly.

Keywords: cognitive impairment; dietary pattern; erythrocyte membrane fatty acid profile; fatty acid; sphingomyelin.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
(A–E) The differences of FAPs of Cer and SM between control and MCI. Cer, ceramide; SM, sphingomyelin; FAP, fatty acid pattern. *p < 0.05.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Association between dietary pattern 3 and FAP2. (A) The association between component scores of dietary pattern 1 and FAP2 in all subjects. (B) The association between component scores of dietary pattern 1 and FAP2 in control. (C) The association between component scores of dietary pattern 1 and FAP2 in MCI. (D) The association between SM intakes and component scores of FAP2 in all subjects. (E) The association between SM intakes and component scores of FAP2 in control. (F) The association between SM intakes and component scores of FAP2 in MCI. FAP, fatty acid pattern; SM, sphingomyelin.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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