Dietary flavonoid intake and cognitive performance in older adults with Alzheimer's type dementia

Background: Dietary flavonoid intake and intake of flavonoid subclasses has been associated with improved cognitive performance. However, the association between flavonoid intake and cognitive performance in older adults with Alzheimer's type dementia has not been investigated. Objectives: To estimate dietary total flavonoid intake and intake of flavonoid subclasses in older adults with Alzheimer's type dementia and assess the relationship of flavonoid intake with measures of cognition. Design: Cross sectional analysis. Setting: Community dwelling older adults in NSW, Australia. Participants: Older adults (+65y) with mild to moderate dementia (n=49). Measurements: A 24h diet recall was collected with help from a carer and used to estimate flavonoid intake. A battery of cognitive tasks assessed cognitive performance of several cognitive domains. Results: Pearson and spearman correlation coefficients identified an association between flavonoid intake and executive function (r=0.319, p=0.025). After controlling for depression, the relationship was reduced. Conclusion: The identified association between cognitive functioning, depression and flavonoid intake in older adults with Alzheimer's type dementia warrants further research in a larger sample.