The Influences of Polyphenol Consumption on Cognitive Performance and Neuroimaging Phenotypes of Cognitive Decline

Increasing life expectancy and the rising prevalence of age-associated cognitive decline in the form of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other dementias pose a major threat to public health. A significant portion of dementia cases are considered preventable through the modification of lifestyle factors including diet. Numerous neuroimaging biomarkers are associated with cognitive performance during ageing, prodromal or developed dementia and the likelihood of conversion from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to AD, including volumetric or other changes in structures of the medial temporal lobe. Higher diet quality is typically partially characterised by higher intake of polyphenol-rich foods including fruits and vegetables. Diet quality is associated with MRI measures including hippocampal volume in longitudinal studies, while intervention studies prescribing potent polyphenol sources have improved measures of learning and recall ability in MCI individuals. We are using data collections comprising dietary, cognitive, neuroimaging and metabolomic data including the UK Biobank and Airwave cohorts. Polyphenol consumption profiles are currently being generated for participants, which will be used to determine its influence on cognitive test scores and MRI-derived phenotypes. Using this information, we hope to gain new insight into relationships between polyphenol intake, cognitive performance and MRI phenotypes implicated in age-associated cognitive decline.