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. 2022 Nov 22;6(1):711-722.
doi: 10.3233/ADR-220039. eCollection 2022.

Influence of a 12-Month Structured Exercise Program on the Micronutrient-Cognitive Fitness-Physical Association Profiles in Mild Cognitive Impairment

Hannah Weigert  1 , Tim Stuckenschneider  2   3   4 , Lena Pickert  1 , Andrea Rossi  5 , Anna M Meyer  1 , Gereon Nelles  6 , Ralf-Joachim Schulz  7 , Wilhelm Stahl  8 , Stefan Schneider  3   4 , M Cristina Polidori  1   9 ; NeuroExercise Study Group
Affiliations

Influence of a 12-Month Structured Exercise Program on the Micronutrient-Cognitive Fitness-Physical Association Profiles in Mild Cognitive Impairment

Hannah Weigert et al. J Alzheimers Dis Rep. .

Abstract

Background: Preventive lifestyle strategies have shown promise to slow down or prevent age-related cognitive decline. However, evidence on the reciprocal longitudinal relationships between nutrition biomarkers and cognitive and physical performance is lacking. Studying nutritional, cognitive, and physical profiles over time may help to overcome this knowledge gap.

Objective: To investigate the relationship of plasma levels of the robust nutritional- and antioxidant defense-related biomarkers carotenoids and tocopherols with both indicators of cognitive and physical performance in persons with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) participating in a structured exercise program.

Methods: Data from 40 participants with MCI of the NeuroExercise study were analyzed. Participants had undergone a blood withdrawal for the analysis of plasma concentrations of six carotenoids, two tocopherols and retinol prior to and after one-year of structured exercise. All participants had undergone a broad spectrum of cognitive and physical performance tests.

Results: Significant associations between lipophilic micronutrients and cognitive/physical measures were observed that were previously found to play a role in cognitive and physical frailty. In particular, lutein, zeaxanthin, and lycopene are confirmed as robust, reliable, and stable indicators of nutritional defense. Importantly, these micronutrients were associated with cognitive measures prior to the physical training program and to a more prominent extent with indicators of motoric function after the physical exercise program.

Conclusion: Specific profiles of lipophilic micronutrients are associated to cognitive performance measures and, especially after a structured exercise program, to indicators of physical performance.

Keywords: Carotenoids; cognitive performance; micronutrients; mild cognitive impairment; neuropsychological tests; nutrition; physical activity.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funders (EU JPND) had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, or in the decision to publish the results.

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