This study examines the effects of a dietary supplement of isoflavones on cognitive function in postmenopausal women. Participants for this 6-month, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial were women who were in good health, were postmenopausal at least 2 years, and were not using estrogen replacement therapy. Between July 24, 2000, and October 31, 2000, 56 women aged 55 to 74 years were randomized; 2 in the placebo group and 1 in the active treatment group did not complete the 6-month evaluation, and none withdrew because of adverse effects. Women randomized to active treatment (n = 27) took two pills per day, each containing 55 mg of soy-extracted isoflavones (110 mg total isoflavones per day; Healthy Woman: Soy Menopause Supplement, Personal Products Company, McNeil-PPC Inc., Skillman, NJ, USA). Women assigned to placebo (n = 26) took two identical-appearing pills per day containing inert ingredients. Cognitive function tests administered at baseline and follow-up included the following: Trails A and B, category fluency, and logical memory and recall (a paragraph recall test assessing immediate and delayed verbal memory). At baseline, all women were cognitively intact; there were no significant differences by treatment assignment in age, education, depressed mood, or cognitive function (all P values > 0.10). Compliance was 98% and 97%, respectively, in the placebo and treatment groups; all women took at least 85% of their pills. The women in the treatment group did consistently better, both as compared with their own baseline scores and as compared with the placebo group responses at 6 months. Comparisons of percentage change in cognitive function between baseline and follow-up showed greater improvement in category fluency for women on active treatment as compared with the case of those on placebo (P = 0.02) and showed (nonsignificantly) greater improvement on the two other tests of verbal memory and Trails B. These results suggest that isoflavone supplementation has a favorable effect on cognitive function, particularly verbal memory, in postmenopausal women.

OBJECTIVE Recent studies have demonstrated an association between low birth weight and chronic and metabolic disorders in adulthood such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. These disorders tend to cluster in a condition known as the metabolic syndrome (syndrome X). Only two studies have reported an association of birth weight to the metabolic syndrome. The present study is distinguished as the only study to focus on postmenopausal women. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Subjects were 303 community-dwelling, postmenopausal Caucasian women aged 50–84 years. Metabolic and anthropometric variables were measured at a clinic visit; birth weight was assessed by self-report on a mailed questionnaire. RESULTS The metabolic syndrome, defined as the simultaneous presence of hypertension, dyslipidemia, and abnormal glucose tolerance, was present in 7.9% of these women. Compared with women in the highest birth weight tertile (8.1–13.0 lb, mean 9.4 lb), those in the lowest birth weight tertile (2.5–6.8 lb, mean 5.5 lb) exhibited an increased prevalence (12.0 vs. 4.3%, P < 0.05) and 2.41 times the risk (95% CI 1.06–5.51) of developing the metabolic syndrome. Women with a heavy birth weight had an increased risk of adult obesity. Nevertheless, women in the lowest birth weight tertile who became adults in the highest tertile of BMI (>25.2 kg/m²) or waist circumference (>80.7 cm) had the highest prevalence of the metabolic syndrome (∼30%). CONCLUSIONS Low birth weight coupled with adult obesity is a strong determinant of the metabolic syndrome in postmenopausal women.

This study examined the association of plasma DHA, dietary DHA, and fish intake with dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) in older adults. Case-cohort study. Clinic visit in 1991–93. 266 community dwelling men and women aged 67–100 years (mean=80.2). Participants had neurological and neuropsychological evaluations for dementia in 1991–93. Plasma DHA was measured in blood samples obtained at that visit. Dietary intakes of DHA and fish were obtained from an earlier (1988–91) visit. Three DHA exposure variables were used in separate analyses; plasma DHA, dietary DHA, and consumption of cold-water fish. All-cause dementia included AD and other types of possible or probable dementia. Among these 266 participants, 42 had dementia and 30 had possible or probable AD. Plasma DHA in the highest tertile was associated with a 65% reduced odds of allcause dementia (95% CI: 0.17, 0.92) and a 60% reduced odds of AD (95% CI: 0.15, 1.10). Dietary DHA in the highest tertile was associated with a 73% reduced odds of all-cause dementia (95% CI: 0.09, 0.79) and a 72% reduced odds of AD (95% CI: 0.09, 0.93). Fish intake had similar, though not significant, reduced odds of dementia (OR = 0.51; 95% CI: 0.20, 1.32) and AD (OR = 0.55; 95% CI: 0.20, 1.48). Plasma and dietary DHA appear to protect against dementia. Increasing DHA intake from marine sources may be recommended for reducing dementia risk.

Objective. This study examines the sex-specific associations of plasma concentrations of iron, copper, and zinc with cognitive function in older community-dwelling adults.Design: Cross-sectional study.Setting: 1988–92 follow-up clinic visit.Participants: 602 men and 849 women (average age=75 ±8 years) who were community-dwelling and not clinically demented.Measurements: Blood samples were assayed for trace elements and 12 cognitive function tests were administered. Sex-specific analyses were adjusted for age, education, alcohol consumption, smoking, exercise, and estrogen use in women.Results. Men and women differed significantly in education and alcohol intake (p’s<0.001), concentrations of plasma iron, copper and zinc (p’s<0.001) and scores on 11 of 12 cognitive function tests (p=0.04 to <0.001). Regression analyses showed significant inverted U-shaped associations in men;both low and high iron levels were associated with poor performance on total and long-term recall and Serial 7’s (p’s=0.018, 0.042 and 0.004, respectively) compared to intermediate concentrations. In women, iron and copper concentrations had inverse linear associations with Buschke total, long and short-term recall and Blessed scores (p’s<0.05). Zinc was positively associated with performance on Blessed Items (p=0.008). Analyses comparing cognitive function using categorically defined mineral concentrations yielded similar sex specific results.Conclusion. Optimal trace element concentrations may exist for optimal cognitive function in older adults, and these levels may differ by sex and cognitive function domain.