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Want to know how well your brain performs relative to your age?
This test calculates the age of your brain on the basis of your performance - the better you perform the younger your "brain-age", the worse you perform the older your "brain-age". The calculation is based on the robust inverse correlation of performance with age shown for the spatial working memory test (Tournier et al. 2004). Scientific studies indicate that such tests can be predictive of future dementia, even up to 10 years prior to onset (Small et al. 2000).
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Scientific References & Summaries from Human Clinical Trials Pertaining to Brain Health & Brain Performance.
Claim: Enzogenol can help to improve and maintain cognitive function.
Study design:Pinus radiata bark extract Treatment: 960 mg pine bark extract + 120 mg Vit C; Controls: 120 mg Vit C Double-blind, randomized, vitamin C controlled, human clinical trial; 5 weeks of treatment with assessments before and after treatment course Improved cognitive function on validated computer-based cognitive tests.
Summary of Results:Pine bark extract treatment group showed significantly faster response times on spatial working memory and immediate recognition memory tasks compared to vitamin C controls. Performance on these tasks has been shown to correlate well with age. Individuals in the pine bark extract treatment group showed improved performance equivalent to the performance typically seen in people 7-12 years younger.
Scientific Reference: Pipingas, A.;Silberstein, R. B.;Vitetta, L.;Van Rooy, C.;Harris, E. V.;Young, J. M., et al.
Phytotherapy Research, in print 2008
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Claim: DHA can help to prevent, reduce the risk, or slow progression of cognitive decline in older people.
Dose:High DHA Fish-oil supplement (EPAX1050TG)
1.7g DHA + 0.6g EPA
(4g/day)
Study Design:Double-blind randomized placebo controlled study; Trial registration: www.clinical trials.gov
Identifier: NCT00211159
Summary of Results:The OmegaAD Study in 174 patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer disease found that the in a subgroup of patients (n=32) with very mild cognitive dysfunction (Mini-Mental State Examination MMSE>27) 6 month supplementation with a high DHA fish oil led to a significant reduction in the MMSE decline rate compared to placebo. A similar arrest in MMSE decline rate was observed between 6 and 12 months in the placebo subgroup when switched to receiving the omega-3 fatty acid supplementation.
Scientific Reference: Freund-Levi, Y.; Eriksdotter-Jonhagen, M.; Cederholm, T.; Basun, H.; Faxen-Irving, G.; Garlind, A., et al.
Archives of Neurology, Vol 63 2006
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Claim: DHA can help to prevent, reduce the risk of, or slow progression of cognitive decline in older people.
Study Design:DHA / plasma fatty acid levels were analysed
(no intervention) Epidemiological Prospective cohort study
Summary of results:Assessment of blood plasma fatty acid levels in 1188 elderly American subjects with blinded prospective analysis of clinical outcomes (AD diagnosis and MMSE scores). Persons with DHA levels in the lower half of the distribution had a 2-fold higher frequency of Alzheimer dementia (AD). People who did not have AD at time of the blood sampling and were in the lower half of the DHA distribution had a 67% greater likelihood of developing AD during the next 10 years of life.
Scientific Reference: Kyle, D.;Schaefer, E.;Patton, G.;Beiser, A.
Lipids, Vol 34 1999
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Claim:DHA can help to prevent, reduce the risk of, or slow progression of cognitive decline in older people.
Study Design:Fish consumption (no intervention) 18.5g of fish / day Epidemiological.
Prospective cohort study.
Summary of Results:(Rotterdam Study) Nutrient intake as assessed by semi-quantitative food-frequency questionnaire was assessed in 5386 non-demented subjects at baseline, and after 2.1 year follow up people were screened for dementia. Of the 5386 subjects 58 subjects became demented during the 2.1 year follow up period. 72% were classified to have Alzheimer dementia, 12% vascular dementia, and 16% other types of dementia. The intake of total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol were associated with an increased risk of developing dementia with a relative risk (RR) of 2.4, 1.9 and 1.7 respectively. Fish consumption was associated with a reduced risk of dementia (RR=0.4) at a mean intake of fish 18.5g per day.
Scientific Reference: Sandra Kalmijn, L. J. L., Alewijn Ott, Jacqueline C. M. Witteman, Albert Hofman, Monique M. B. Breteler
Annals of Neurology, Vol 42 1997 |
Claim:DHA can help to prevent, reduce the risk of, or slow progression of cognitive decline in older people.
Dose:Fish consumption (no intervention)
Fish as main meal at least once per week
Study design:Epidemiological. Population based prospective cohort.
(Personnes Agees QUID Study)
Summary of results:For 1674 people, aged 68 and over, without dementia and living at home in southwestern France, frequency of meat and fish consumption was recorded. 1416 people were followed up with at least one visit two, five and seven years afterwards. 170 new cases of dementia occurred (135 Alzheimer dementia). There was a significant association between increased fish consumption and decreased incidence of dementia. Participants who ate fish or seafood at least once a week had a significantly lower risk of developing dementia (relative risk = 0.66).
Scientific Reference: Barberger-Gateau, P.;Letenneur, L.;Deschamps, V.;Peres, K.;Dartigues, J.-F.;Renaud, S.
British medical journal, Vol 325 2002 |
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Claim:DHA can help to prevent, reduce the risk of, or slow progression of cognitive decline in older people.
Dose:n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid;
fish consumption (no intervention)
1.75 g/day of total n-3 PUFA (linoleic acid18:3 + EPA20:5 + DHA22:6);
0.1g DHA/day;
Fish consumed at least once per week
Study Design:Epidemiological.
Prospective cohort study.
(Chicago health and aging project)
Summary of results:Out of 815 subjects aged 65-94, with complete analysis data for fish consumption and incidence Alzheimer disease (AD), 131 persons were diagnosed with AD after a mean follow up of 3.9 years. Fish consumption was inversely correlated with the risk of incident AD. Persons who consumed at least one fish meal per week had a 60% reduction in AD risk. (relative risk=0.4). Total intake of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids was inversely and linearly associated with incident AD risk. There was a 70% reduction in AD risk for persons in the top fifth quintile intake (1.75g/day) compared to the lowest quintile (0.9g/day). There was also a linear protective association with intake of DHA with risk reduction of 60-80% for persons in the top three quintiles (intake 0.06-0.1g DHA/day) compared to the lowest quintile (0.03g DHA/day)
Scientific Reference: Morris, M. C.;Evans, D. A.;Bienias, J. L.;Tangney, C. C.;Bennett, D. A.;Wilson, R. S., et al.
Archives of Neurology, Vol 60 2003
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Claim:DHA can help to prevent, reduce the risk of, or slow progression of cognitive decline in older people.
Dose:n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid;
fish consumption (no intervention)
0.18 g DHA/day; 3 servings of fish per week
Study design:Epidemiological. Prospective cohort study.
(The Framingham Heart Study)
Summary of Results:Out of 899 subjects (median age 76), without dementia at baseline, 99 new cases of dementia (71 with AD) occurred during a mean follow up of 9.1 years. There was an inverse association of plasma DHA levels with all cause dementia and AD. Persons in the upper quartile of plasma DHA levels had a relative risk of 0.53 of developing all cause dementia compared with persons in the lower three quartiles. Persons in the upper quartile of plasma DHA levels had a mean intake of 0.18g/day of DHA and a mean fish intake of 3.0 servings per week.
Scientific Reference: Schaefer, E. J.;Bongard, V.;Beiser, A. S.;Lamon-Fava, S.;Robins, S. J.;Au, R., et al.
Archives of Neurology, Vol 63 2006
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Claim:DHA can help to prevent, reduce the risk of, or slow progression of cognitive decline in older people.
Dose:n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid;
fish consumption (no intervention)
400 mg DHA/day (similar to 850g lean fish/week, or 140g of fatty fish/week)
Study Design:Epidemiological. Prospective cohort study.
(Zutphen Elderly Study)
Summary of results: SThis study was on 210 men aged 70-89 selected from the Zutphen Elderly Study, Netherlands, with complete information on diet and cognitive function. Dietary assessment in 1990 was by using cross-check dietary history method. Total fish consumption was calculated, and total EPA+DHA intake was estimated based on fish, seafood, animal and plant foods. Assessment of cognitive functioning was by Mini-mental State Examination in 1990 and 1995. Fish consuming subjects had significantly less cognitive decline over 5 years compared to non-consumers. There was a linear dose response relation between the tertiles of intake of EPA+DHA and cognitive decline, with a decline of 1.1 points between highest and lowest tertile. The average difference in EPA+DHA intake between lowest and highest tertile was approximately 380 mg/day.
Scientific Reference: Van Gelder, B. M.;Tijhuis, M.;Kalmijn, S.;Kromhout, D.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol 85 2007
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Claim:DHA can help to prevent, reduce the risk of, or slow progression of cognitive decline in older people.
Dose:no intervention
(n-3 PUFA, DHA, EPA measured in plasma)
Study design:Epidemiological. Prospective cohort study.
(AIRC Study)
Summary of Results:A total of 2251 subjects (age ≥ 50, white men and women from Minneapolis area, USA) were assessed with complete plasma analysis at visit 1 and cognitive function measurements at visits 2 and 4. 140 subjects showed cognitive decline over the time period between visits 2 and 4. No significant correlation of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids DHA+EPA plasma levels was found with global cognitive decline when taking into account all different cognitive measures taken. However, subgroup analyses showed that greater DHA+EPA plasma levels were significantly associated with less decline in verbal fluency (Word Fluency Test) for all subjects, and in particular, for subjects with hypertension and dyslipidemia.
Scientific Reference: Beydoun, M. A.;Kaufman, J. S.;Satia, J. A.;Rosamond, W.;Folsom, A. R.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol 85 2007
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Claim:DHA can greatly increased (2-3 fold) serum Omega-3 levels
Dose:High DHA Fish-oil supplement (EPAX1050TG)
1.7g DHA + 0.6g EPA (4g/day)
Study design:Double-blind randomized placebo controlled study; Trial registration: www.clinical trials.gov
Identifier: NCT00211159
Summary of Results:The OmegaAD Study in 174 patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer disease found that 6 months supplementation with 2.3g high DHA fish oil led to an increase of serum levels of DHA by 2.4-fold and EPA by 3.6-fold.
Scientific Reference:Conquer, J.;Tierney, M.;Zecevic, J.;Bettger, W.;Fisher, R.
Lipids, Vol 35 2000
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Claim:DHA can help to prevent low levels of DHA common in age-related cognitive impairment.
Dose:High DHA Fish-oil supplement (EPAX1050TG)
1.7g DHA + 0.6g EPA
(4g/day)
Study Design:Double-blind randomized placebo controlled study; Trial registration: www.clinical trials.gov
Identifier: NCT00211159
Summary of results:The OmegaAD Study in 174 patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer disease found that 6 months supplementation with 4g high DHA fish oil led to an increase of serum levels of DHA by 2.4-fold and EPA by 3.6-fold.
Scientific Reference:Freund-Levi, Y.; Eriksdotter-Jonhagen, M.; Cederholm, T.; Basun, H.; Faxen-Irving, G.; Garlind, A., et al.
Archives of Neurology, Vol 63 2006
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Claim:DHA can help to prevent low levels of DHA common in age-related cognitive impairment.
Dose:(no intervention)
No data
Study design:Case-control study.
Blood plasma fatty acid analyses in patients with cognitive impairments compared to normal controls
Summary of Results:Elderly persons with cognitive impairments, including Alzheimer disease, dementias other than Alzheimer, and cognitively impaired but not-demented, were found to have significantly lower total omega-3 (23-28% lower), EPA (approx 42% lower) and DHA (17-33% lower) plasma levels compared to normal elderly people with no cognitive impairments.
Scientific Reference: Conquer, J.;Tierney, M.;Zecevic, J.;Bettger, W.;Fisher, R.
Lipids, Vol 35 2000
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Claim:DHA can help to prevent low levels of DHA common in age-related cognitive impairment.
Dose:(no intervention)
No Data
Study design:Case-control study.
Brain phosholipid composition analyses in Alzheimer disease patients and normal controls.
Summary of results:Persons with Alzheimer disease have significantly reduced levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids, including DHA, in the brain compared to age matched normal controls.
Scientific Reference: Soderberg, M.;Edlund, C.;Kristensson, K.;Dallner, G.
Lipids, Vol 26 1991
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Scientific evidence from animal studies
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Claim: Procyanidins may help to enhance cognition.
Dose:Procyanidins isolated from grape seeds
75mg/kg bodyweight daily
Study Design:Feeding of older male rats for nine weeks with PACs. Assessing neuroprotective effects of PACs on the
cerebral cortex, cerebellum, and hippocampus in the adult rat brain by studying the cholinergic system.
Summary of Results:The brains of the adult male rats had increased choline acetyl transferase activity and increased acetylcholine levels, concomitant with a moderate decrease in acetylcholine esterase activity. This indicated that the PAC treatment may play a role in enhancing cognition in the older rats.
Scientific Reference: Devi, A.;Jolitha, A. B.;Ishii, N. Med Sci Monit 12: BR124-129 2006
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Claim:Procyanidins may help protect the brain from age-related changes occurring in Alzheimer’s and other dementias.
Dose:PACs from grape seed extract
5% of the diet
Study design:Feeding normal adult female rats 5% grape seed extract for 6 weeks. Proteomics analyses of brain homogenates.
Summary of results:Thirteen proteins were found in the rat brains after PAC feeding that were altered by quantity or charge. These changes were quantitatively in the opposite direction from previous findings for the same proteins in either Alzheimer disease or mouse models of neurodegeneration. The data suggest that these identified proteins may mediate the neuroprotective actions of PACs.
Scientific Reference: Deshane, J.;Chaves, L.;Sarikonda, K. V.;Isbell, S.;Wilson, L.;Kirk, M., et al.
J. Agric. Food Chem. 52: 7872-7883 2004
Kim, H.;Deshane, J.;Barnes, S.;Meleth, S.
Life Sciences 78: 2060-2065 2006
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Claim:DHA may help to protect the brain from impaired cognitive abilities in Alzheimer’s disease.
Dose:DHA
300 mg/kg bodyweight daily
Study Design:Alzheimer’s disease rat model. Rats were fed DHA or control solution for 12 weeks, and subjected to amyloid-beta infusion into the brain causing compromised learning ability quantified in an active avoidance task and compromised working memory tested in an 8-arm radial maze.
Summary of results:DHA had a profoundly beneficial effect on the decline learning ability and working memory in the Alzheimer’s disease model rats. This was associated with an increase in DHA levels and the DHA / arachidonic acid ratio, and a decrease in neuronal apoptotic products in the brain. DHA furthermore increased reduced glutathione levels and glutathione reductase activity, and suppressed the increase in lipid peroxide and reactive oxygen species levels in the rat brains, suggesting an increase in anti-oxidative defence. DHA is thus a possible prophylactic means for preventing the learning deficiencies of Alzheimer’s disease.
Scientific Reference: Hashimoto, M.;Hossain, S.;Shimada, T.;Sugioka, K.;Yamasaki, H.;Fujii, Y., et al.
Journal of Neurochemistry 81: 1084-1091 2002
Hashimoto, M.;Tanabe, Y.;Fujii, Y.;Kikuta, T.;Shibata, H.;Shido, O.
Journal of Nutrition 135: 549-555 2005
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Claim:DHA may help to protect the brain from impaired cognitive abilities in Alzheimer’s disease.
Dose:DHA (Martec Bioscience)
0.6% (w/w) of diet
Study Design:Alzheimer’s disease mouse model. Feeding a omega-3 depleted diet and rescuing by adding in 0.6% DHA to the diet. Analyzing changes in brain proteins, oxidation and fatty acid composition. Studying behavior in Morris water maze.
Summary of results:Alzheimer’s model mice fed a n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid depleted diet showed profound performance deficits in behavioral test. In addition, these mice showed the same molecular alterations seen in human Alzheimer’s patient brains (loss of p85 subunit of PI3-kinase and postsynaptic actin-regulating protein drebrin, increased oxidation, increased caspase-cleaved actin). Feeding DHA to these mice protected against these effects and prevented behavioral deficits.
Scientific Reference: Calon, F.;Lim, G. P.;Yang, F.;Morihara, T.;Teter, B.;Ubeda, O., et al.
Neuron 43: 633-645 2004
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Claim:DHA may help to protect from physiological changes in the brain associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
Dose:DHA
0% control,
0.09% low DHA, 0.6% high DHA
Study Design:Alzheimer’s disease mouse model (APPsw Tg2576). Feeding no, low or high DHA diet for approx 5 months. Assessing impact of dietary DHA on amyloid precursor protein (APP) processing and amyloid burden.
Summary of Results:High DHA diet significantly reduced amyloid-beta levels in the brain by over 70% when compared to low or no DHA diet. Overall plaque burden was significantly reduced by 40%. High DHA favorably changed amyloid processing. These results suggest that dietary DHA may protect against amyloid-beta production, accumulation, and potential downstream toxicities.
Scientific Reference:Lim, G. P.;Calon, F.;Morihara, T.;Yang, F.;Teter, B.;Ubeda, O., et al.
J. Neurosci. 25: 3032-3040 2005
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Claim:DHA may help to protect from physiological changes in the brain associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
Dose:DHA
0% control, 1.3% DHA
Study Design:Alzheimer’s disease mouse model (3xTg-AD) exhibiting amyloid-beta and tau pathologies supplemented with DHA for 3, 6 and 9 months.
Summary of results:DHA levels increase up to 2-fold in red blood cells and brain. Arachidinic acid levels decreased significantly
(up to 10-fold in RBC). DHA supplementation reduced the interneuronal amyloid-beta and tau accumulation
in the brain. This decrease appeared to be due to a decrease in presenilin 1 levels.
Scientific Reference: Green, K. N.;Martinez-Coria, H.;Khashwji, H.;Hall, E. B.;Yurko-Mauro, K. A.;Ellis, L., et al. J. Neurosci. 27: 4385-4395 2007
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