By Katie Prater and Megan Breier, student pharmacists
With Karen Kier, pharmacist on behalf of the ONU HealthWise team

Mind over matter is a phrase defined by the Cambridge English Dictionary as “the power of the mind to control and influence the body”. If you are a fan of A.A. Milne’s Winnie the Pooh, you might know the song Mind Over Matter from The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. The song is sung to Pooh when he gets stuck in the door and Christopher Robin and friends are trying to convince Pooh to use his mind over his body.  

The brain is a powerful tool and our mind is the driver. One concern is how we protect our brain and decrease dementia risk. Dementia impacts millions worldwide and is expected to increase. Since there are limited treatments for dementia, it is essential to identify risk factors. 

A study in Life Metabolism analyzed the impact of when and how people eat and the connection to cognitive function and decline. The researchers found those who ate breakfast had higher energy intake in the morning, which resulted in better cognitive function with less decline. Those who ate in the afternoon showed protective effects on cognitive function, but there was no association with protecting cognitive decline. Those with high energy intake in the evening showed similar results to those who ate breakfast by having better cognitive function and slower cognitive decline. The ability of food to help slow cognitive decline is essential when looking at risk factors for dementia. This study demonstrates the importance of high energy eating especially in the morning and the evening. 

These results indicate the importance of eating balanced meals and snacks throughout the day. The researchers provided data on skipping breakfast as a detrimental factor on cognitive function and decline. Breakfast could have the most significant effect of the three main meals. When evaluating snacking, the only beneficial effects were seen with snacks after dinner. Overall, this study emphasizes the importance of properly fueling your brain. 

Additional research evaluated the gut microbiota on the brain’s function. The gut microbiota is described as the system of different microorganisms living in one’s gastrointestinal tract. These organisms include bacteria, fungi, and viruses. The gut microbiota usually lives in harmony with the digestive system and supports our energy and immune system. Certain conditions can affect the harmony such as dietary changes and antibiotics. 

The gut microbiota impacts our health. Experiments have studied the connection between gut microbiota and cognitive function. Researchers have explored this connection in middle-aged adults. The importance of this work is to find meaningful ways to prevent and treat cognitive decline with aging.  

Researchers in a JAMA Network study sequenced stool DNA to study beta diversity (between-person), alpha diversity (within-person), and the organisms within gut microbiota. To assess cognitive status, the researchers used a series of 6 validated cognitive tests. The gut microorganisms were found to have an association to cognition as measured by all six cognitive scales. 

Two bacteria had a positive association with cognitive function. These included Barnesiella and Lachnospiraceae FC5020 group. These organisms can be enhanced by eating fiber rich foods and foods high in prebiotics such as garlic, onions, oats, almonds, and bananas. The study found a negative correlation with the organism known as Sutterella. The use of probiotics such as yogurt or apple cider vinegar can reduce Sutterella levels in the gut. More research needs to be done to understand the complex relationship between one’s gut and the brain. 

In addition to diet, another study in the Journal of the American Medical Association evaluated physical activity on developing dementia in men. The study followed nearly 44,000 participants for ten years who were 50 to 79 years of age and tracked exercise (walking, golfing, playing tennis, jogging, etc.). Each exercise was assigned an intensity level, which were correlated to dementia. Higher levels of activity were protective for developing dementia. This benefit was only found for men. No additional protective effect was seen for women with higher activity. In patients 65 years and older, there was no difference in physical activity and dementia. 

In July of 2022, a study was published in the Alzheimer’s & Dementia journal evaluating dietary supplements and cognitive protection in people 65 years and older. The study used six validated cognition scales over a 3-year period. The study evaluated a cocoa extract and a multivitamin. Unfortunately for those chocolate lovers out there, the cocoa extract was not found to protect cognition.  The study used Centrum® Silver® as the multivitamin and it was found to improve cognition in older adults. 

A study published in NEJM Evidence on October 27, 2022 evaluated web-based computerized games versus web-based crossword puzzles on cognitive training in those 55 to 95 years of age who already displayed mild cognitive impairment. The six-year study found crossword puzzles were superior in improving cognition compared to computerized games. This study demonstrates a benefit in providing cognitive training that stimulates the brain with crossword puzzles. 

Some final thoughts from Pooh, “We didn't realize we were making memories, we just knew we were having fun!"

ONU HealthWise is offering COVID-19 vaccines, as well as flu shots Monday through Friday from 10 AM to 5 PM. The bivalent COVID-19 vaccines are available. Clinics are Monday through Friday from 4:00-6:00 p.m. Please call the pharmacy for more information.  

ONU HealthWise Pharmacy
419-772-3784
www.onuhealthwisepharmacy.com