| Age-related changes brain morphology and cognitive impairments are common among the elderly, and may be early indicators for dementia. Choline precursor loading studies found that demented subjects who have higher measured choline levels perform better on memory tests compared to those with lower levels. Animal studies demonstrated that choline supplementation improved cholinergic neurotransmission in the brain and memory function in rats well into the latter phase of life. The goal of this research project is to examine relationships of dietary choline intake across the adult life-span to cognition and total brain volume in a large, non-demented, community-based cohort.;Dietary chorine intake estimates derived from the Harvard Food Frequency Questionnaires (FFQ) administered to the Framingham Offspring, from 1991--1995 (Exam 5), and from 1998--2001 (Exam 7) were used in cross-sectional and prospective analyses. A different Framingham FFQ administered at Exam 3 (1994--1988) was used in the methodological paper only.;We compared stability of choline measures from the two FFQs. Although mean absolute intake was higher at exam 3, choline intakes were moderately strongly correlated between exams 3 and 5 (Spearman r = 0.44) and between exams 5 and 7 (r = 0.59). Of the 1820 dementia and stroke-free participants who underwent neuropsychological (NP) evaluation and brain MRI at Exam 7, 1433 completed FFQs. Three NP factors were constructed: Verbal Memory (VM), Visuospatial Memory and Organization (VMO), and Visual Scanning and Motor Speed (VSM). Multivariable linear regression models were used to relate choline intake and cognitive function using the three NP factors and total corrected brain volume (TCBV), adjusting for age, sex, education, B12, B6, folate, total calories, saturated fat, homocysteine, APOE, and Framingham Stroke Risk Profile score.;Choline intake at Exam 7 was positively related to VM (p<0.001), VMO (p=0.004), and VSM(p=0.01) but not TCBV (p=0.46). No significant associations were observed between choline intake at Exam 5 and the three NP factors or TCBV.;In this community-based population of non-demented individuals, current choline intake was related to better NP performance. These results suggest that dietary intervention can potentially decrease risk for age-related cognitive decline. |
