Plasma Lutein and Zeaxanthin Are Associated With Better Cognitive Function Across Multiple Domains in a Large Population-Based Sample of Older Adults: Findings from The Irish Longitudinal Study on Aging
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Low blood serum or plasma concentrations of the xanthophyll carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin have been implicated in poorer cognitive health in older adults. However, equivocal results from smaller studies and clinical trials highlight the need for large population-based studies with comprehensive measures of cognitive function and adjustment for multiple confounders to examine such associations in more depth. METHODS: In the current study, we investigated the association between plasma lutein and zeaxanthin and domain-specific cognitive performance in 4,076 community-dwelling adults aged 50 years or older from The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing. Mixed-effects models were fitted with adjustment for demographic and socioeconomic factors, health conditions, and health behaviors. RESULTS: Higher plasma lutein and zeaxanthin were independently associated with better composite scores across the domains of global cognition, memory, and executive function. We also found evidence that higher plasma zeaxanthin, but not lutein, was associated with better processing speed. These associations were consistent across domains. CONCLUSIONS: Further investigation of the prognostic value of carotenoid concentrations, and their changes, on cognition in similar population-based samples longitudinally is warranted.
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A lack of lutein and zeaxanthin is generally associated to a poor cognitive performance in elderly.
“A lack of lutein and zeaxanthin is generally associated to a poor cognitive performance in elderly [157,161].”
From The Role of Antioxidants in the Interplay between Oxidative Stress and Senescence (2022) · cites this paper as [157]
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- Authors
- Feeney, J., O’Leary, N., Moran, R., O’Halloran, A. M., Nolan, J. M., Beatty, S., Young, I. S., & Kenny, R. A.
- Affiliations
- Queen's University Belfast (GB)
- Trinity College Dublin (IE)
- Waterford Institute of Technology (IE)
- Corresponding author
- Feeney, Joanne
- ORCID
- Venue
- The Journals of Gerontology Series A
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 2017-01-20
- Volume
- 72
- Issue
- 10
- Pages
- 1431-1436
- ISSN
- 1079-5006 (ISSN-L)
- 1758-535X
- OpenAlex
- W2588873993
- Cited by
- 61
- References
- 39
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 13 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 1
- FWCI
- 5.19
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- The Journals of Gerontology Series A (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Trinity's Access to Research Output (TARA) (Trinity College Dublin) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Atlantic Philanthropies
- Centre for Ageing Research and Development in Ireland
- European Research Council
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Biochemistry › Antioxidant Activity and Oxidative Stress
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Nutritional Studies and Diet
- Keywords
- lutein, zeaxanthin, xanthophyll carotenoids, plasma carotenoid concentrations, cognitive function, older adults, memory, executive function, processing speed, global cognition, cognitive aging, Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing
- MeSH terms
- Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Cognition, Cross-Sectional Studies, Female, Humans, Ireland, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Middle Aged, Surveys and Questionnaires, Lutein, Biomarkers, Zeaxanthins
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