Author(s): Mathilde Chataigner, Anne-Laure Dinel, Véronique Pallet, Sophie Layé and Corinne Joffre
Aging is associated to cognitive decline that can lead to neurodegenerative diseases and constitutes one of the main social and economic issues of the 21st century. The loss of memory, orientation and processing abilities associated with aging are involved in the loss of autonomy and in the decline in the quality of life in the elderly. Brain structures involved in memory such as hippocampus, cortex and striatum, are particularly affected by molecular and cellular damage during this period. Lipid metabolism and neurofunctional alterations, including disturbances in synaptic plasticity and neurogenesis, chronic low-grade inflammation and increased oxidative stress, are partly to be involved in age-related cognitive decline. Actually, nutrition represents a strategy of choice to prevent or delay these impairments since many studies have provided valuable data concerning the effect of dietary patterns and specific nutrients on cognitive function. From all nutrients, some of them are particularly attractive. Indeed, n-3 polyunsaturated acids (PUFAs), especially docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), have been identified for their beneficial effects on cognition, notably by acting on brain plasticity (synaptic plasticity, neurogenesis), neuroinflammation and oxidative stress. Other nutrients such as vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin D, polyphenols as well as pre- and probiotics have aroused a growing interest in decreasing cognitive disorders. As nutrition has to be taken as a whole, we first described the effects of the Mediterranean diet which constitutes the most complete association of nutrients and (DHA from fish, vitamins and polyphenols from fruits and vegetables) represents a global vision of nutrition, then we focused on the interest of combining DHA and micronutrients contained in this diet as well as pre- and probiotics, to prevent age-related cognitive decline and reported the synergistic effects of these associations. Finally, we completed with benefits from dairy products that increase DHA incorporation.
