Dietary Carotenoids Lutein and Zeaxanthin Change Brain Activation in Older Adult Participants: A Randomized, Double‐Masked, Placebo‐Controlled Trial

• Published in: Molecular nutrition & food research Vol. 63; no. 15; pp. e1801051 - n/a
• Main Authors: Ceravolo, S. Anna, Hammond, Billy R., Oliver, William, Clementz, Brett, Miller, L. Stephen, Renzi‐Hammond, Lisa M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.08.2019
• Subjects: absorbance; Activation; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; aging; Bioaccumulation; Brain; Brain - diagnostic imaging; Brain - drug effects; Brain - physiology; Carotenoids; cognition; Cross-Sectional Studies; Dietary supplements; elderly; Electroencephalography; evoked potentials; Evoked Potentials, Visual - drug effects; Female; Humans; Information processing; Isomers; Lutein; Lutein - pharmacology; Macular Pigment; Male; Memory; neurons; Older people; Optical density; Placebos; Retina; Sensory stimulation; Signal-To-Noise Ratio; steady‐state visual evoked potentials; topology; vision; Vision systems; Visual evoked potentials; Zeaxanthin; Zeaxanthins - pharmacology; steady-state visual evoked potentials; aging; cognition; lutein; zeaxanthin
• ISSN: 1613-4125; 1613-4133; 1613-4133
• DOI: 10.1002/mnfr.201801051

Scope Steady‐state visual evoked potentials (SSVEP) can be used to test the topological response of cortical neurons. Studies have shown that a lutein (L) preferentially accumulates within cortical tissue. L, zeaxanthin (Z), and their isomers can be measured directly in retina (macular pigment optical density, MPOD), and retinal L+Z correlate highly with L+Z levels in cortical visual processing areas. The purpose of this study was to determine the relation between MPOD and SSVEP signal power, cross‐sectionally and after supplementation with L+Z. Methods and Results SSVEP to three different driving frequencies of stimulation (5, 10, and 16.6 Hz) were obtained for community‐dwelling older adults, at baseline and after 12 months of supplementation with either 12 mg L+Z or placebo. Power was quantified at the driving frequencies. Non‐specific activation was quantified within the 10–15 Hz band. MPOD was measured psychophysically. Subjects with low MPOD had reduced power at 16.6 Hz and reduced non‐specific activation, compared with subjects with high MPOD. Supplementation significantly improved signal power at 5 and 10 Hz. Conclusion Past research suggests that L+Z can improve visual memory, visual processing speeds, etc. One possible mechanism for that improvement may be improving signal‐to‐noise ratio throughout the vision system. Macular xanthophyll levels predict processing power at high frequency. Supplementing the macular xanthophylls improves brain processing power at middle and low frequencies and improves the signal‐to‐noise ratio at those frequencies.