Longer-term soy nut consumption improves cerebral blood flow and psychomotor speed: results of a randomized, controlled crossover trial in older men and women

Jordi P D Kleinloog, Lea Tischmann, Ronald P Mensink, Tanja C Adam, Peter J Joris, Jordi P D Kleinloog, Lea Tischmann, Ronald P Mensink, Tanja C Adam, Peter J Joris

Abstract

Background: Effects of soy foods on cerebral blood flow (CBF)-a marker of cerebrovascular function-may contribute to the beneficial effects of plant-based diets on cognitive performance.

Objectives: We aimed to investigate longer-term effects of soy nut consumption on CBF in older adults. Changes in 3 different domains of cognitive performance were also studied.

Methods: Twenty-three healthy participants (age: 60-70 y; BMI: 20-30 kg/m2) participated in a randomized, controlled, single-blinded crossover trial with an intervention (67 g/d of soy nuts providing ∼25.5 g protein and 174 mg isoflavones) and control period (no nuts) of 16 wk, separated by an 8-wk washout period. Adults followed the Dutch food-based dietary guidelines. At the end of each period, CBF was assessed with arterial spin labeling MRI. Psychomotor speed, executive function, and memory were assessed using the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB).

Results: No serious adverse events were reported, and soy nut intake was well tolerated. Body weights remained stable during the study. Serum isoflavone concentrations increased (daidzein mean difference ± SD: 128 ± 113 ng/mL, P < 0.001; genistein: 454 ± 256 ng/mL, P < 0.001), indicating excellent compliance. Regional CBF increased in 4 brain clusters located in the left occipital and temporal lobes (mean ± SD increase: 11.1 ± 12.4 mL · 100 g-1 · min-1, volume: 11,296 mm3, P < 0.001), bilateral occipital lobe (12.1 ± 15.0 mL · 100 g-1 · min-1, volume: 2632 mm3, P = 0.002), right occipital and parietal lobes (12.7 ± 14.3 mL · 100 g-1 · min-1, volume: 2280 mm3, P = 0.005), and left frontal lobe (12.4 ± 14.5 mL · 100 g-1 · min-1, volume: 2120 mm3, P = 0.009) which is part of the ventral network. These 4 regions are involved in psychomotor speed performance, which improved as the movement time reduced by (mean ± SD) 20 ± 37 ms (P = 0.005). Executive function and memory did not change.

Conclusions: Longer-term soy nut consumption may improve cerebrovascular function of older adults, because regional CBF increased. Effects may underlie observed improvements in psychomotor speed.This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03627637.

Keywords: aging; arterial spin labeling; cerebral blood flow; cerebrovascular function; cognitive performance; older males and females; psychomotor speed; soy nuts.

© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Society for Nutrition.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) flow diagram showing the progress of older men and women through the phases of this randomized, controlled crossover study.
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
Results of voxel-wise comparisons including all acquired CBF data from a randomized, controlled crossover study in older adults (n = 23) in the 3-dimensional Montreal Neurological Institute template. CBF increased in 4 clusters after soy nut intake as compared with the control period (family-wise error corrected). Cluster 1: left occipital and temporal lobes, mean ± SD Δ 11.1 ± 12.4 mL · 100 g tissue−1 · min−1 (Δ 36%), volume 11,296 mm3, P < 0.001; cluster 2: bilateral occipital lobe, Δ 12.1 ± 15.0 mL · 100 g tissue−1 · min−1 (Δ 32%), volume 2632 mm3, P = 0.002; cluster 3: right occipital and parietal lobes, Δ 12.7 ± 14.3 mL · 100 g tissue−1 · min−1 (Δ 47%), volume 2280 mm3, P = 0.005; cluster 4: left frontal lobe, Δ 12.4 ± 14.5 mL · 100 g tissue−1 · min−1 (Δ 43%), volume 2120 mm3, P = 0.009. CBF, cerebral blood flow.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Mean CBF maps from a randomized, controlled crossover study in older adults (n = 23) after nonlinear co-registration to the Montreal Neurological Institute template, after soy nut intake (A) and the control period (B). The images show the CBF in mL · 100 g tissue−1 · min−1 (scale shown by color bar). No differences were observed between periods in global CBF (P = 0.567), gray matter CBF (P = 0.593), and CBF in the left (P = 0.570) and right (P = 0.542) hemispheres. CBF, cerebral blood flow.
FIGURE 4
FIGURE 4
Glucose and insulin measurements. Mean ± SEM differences in (A) glucose and (B) insulin concentrations during a 7-point oral-glucose-tolerance test (n = 23). Data were analyzed using linear mixed models to test the difference between each time point and baseline after the soy nut intervention and control periods. No treatment effect was observed for glucose (P = 0.760) and insulin concentrations (P = 0.766). (C) Mean 96-h continuous glucose measurements. The horizontal dashed lines (red = soy nut intervention period, black = control period) represent the mean minimal fasting glucose concentration of each day.

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