Antioxidant Flavonols Are Linked to Slower Memory Decline

In a study published in Neurology, people who eat or drink foods with antioxidant flavonols, which are found in some fruits and vegetables as well as tea and wine, may have a slower rate of memory decline.

After adjusting for factors that could affect the rate of memory decline such as age, sex, and smoking, researchers found that the cognitive score of people who had the highest intake of flavonols declined at a rate of 0.4 units per decade slower than those who had the lowest intake. 

The study also broke the flavonol class down into four constituents: kaempferol, quercetin, myricetin, and isorhamnetin. The foods that contain the most of each type of flavonol are: kale, beans, tea, spinach, and broccoli for kaempferol; tomatoes, kale, apples, and tea for quercetin; tea, wine, kale, oranges, and tomatoes for myricetin; and pears, olive oil, wine, and tomato sauce for isorhamnetin.

“It’s exciting that our study shows making specific diet choices may lead to a slower rate of cognitive decline,” said Thomas M. Holland, MD, MS, Rush University Medical Center. “Something as simple as eating more fruits and vegetables and drinking more tea is an easy way for people to take an active role in maintaining their brain health.”

The study involved 961 people, average 81 years of age, without dementia. They filled out a questionnaire every year on how often they ate certain foods. They also completed annual cognitive and memory tests, including recalling lists of words, remembering numbers, and putting them in the correct order. They were followed for an average of 7 years. 

The participants were divided into 5 equal groups based on the amount of flavonols in their diet. To determine rates of cognitive decline, researchers used an overall global cognition score summarizing 19 cognitive tests.