In a new study, researchers found that dietary intake of phosphatidylcholine is associated with a reduced risk of dementia.
This is the first study to find the health effect, and it also shows phosphatidylcholine is linked to better cognitive performance.
The main dietary sources of phosphatidylcholine in the study were eggs (39%) and meat (37%).
The research was conducted by a team from the University of Eastern Finland.
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia, for which no cure currently exists.
Choline is an essential nutrient, usually occurring in food in various compounds.
Choline is also necessary for the formation of acetylcholine, which is a neurotransmitter.
Earlier studies have linked choline intake with cognitive processing, and adequate choline intake may play a role in the prevention of cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease.
In fact, choline is nowadays used in a multi-nutrient medical drink intended for the treatment of early Alzheimer’s.
In the new study, the team analyzed approximately 2,500 Finnish men aged between 42 and 60 for their dietary and lifestyle habits, and health in general in 1984–1989 and followed these people for 22 years.
They found the risk of dementia was 28% lower in men with the highest intake of dietary phosphatidylcholine when compared to men with the lowest intake.
Men with the highest intake of dietary phosphatidylcholine also excelled in tests measuring their memory and linguistic functions.
The team says these findings are significant, considering that more than 50 million people worldwide are suffering from a memory disorder that has led to dementia, and the number is expected to grow as the population ages.
The new findings may play a vital role in the prevention of dementia.
Successful dementia prevention includes many factors, even small individual factors can have a positive effect on the overall risk, possibly by preventing or delaying the disease onset.
The lead author of the study is Maija Ylilauri, a Ph.D. Student at the University of Eastern Finland.
The study is published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
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