Nutritional Deficiency in Early Life Facilitates Aging-Associated Cognitive Decline

Title:Nutritional Deficiency in Early Life Facilitates Aging-Associated Cognitive Decline

Volume: 14 Issue: 8

Author(s): Yu Kang, Yun Zhang, Zijuan Feng, Mingjing Liu, Yanhua Li, Huan Yang, Dan Wang, Lingling Zheng, Dandan Lou, Liangping Cheng, Chunjiang Chen, Weitao Zhou, Yi Feng, Xiaoyong Li, Jianzhong Duan, Mengjiao Yu, Shou Yang, Yuhang Liu, Xin Wang, Bo Deng, Chenghui Liu, Xiuqing Yao, Chi Zhu, Chunrong Liang, Xiaolong Zeng, Sisi Ren, Qunying Li, Yin Zhong, Yong Zhang, Jun Kang, Yong Yan, Huaqing Meng, Zhaohui Zhong, Weihui Zhou, Yanjiang Wang, Tingyu Li*Weihong Song*

Affiliation:

• Chongqing City Key Lab of Translational Medical Research in Cognitive Development and Learning and Memory Disorders, and Ministry of Education Key Lab of Child Development and Disorders, Pediatric Research Institute, China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Child Development and Critical Disorders, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400014,China

• Townsend Family Laboratories, Department of Psychiatry, The University of British Columbia, 2255 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3,Canada

Keywords: Famine, malnutrition, early life, risk factor, mild cognitive impairment, dementia.

Abstract: Background: Nutrition is important for the fetal developmental programming. Nutritional deficiency in early life could increase the susceptibility to many aging-related disorders including cognitive decline.

Objective: Our study aims to investigate the effect of early famine exposure on aging-associated cognitive function.

Methods: We recruited 6790 subjects born between 1956 to 1964 during which the Great Chinese Famine occurred (1959-1961). Cognitive function of these subjects were evaluated using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), the Activities of Daily Living scale (ADL), the Instrumental Activities of Daily Living scale (IADL) and the Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR).

Results: Our study identified that early exposure to the famine significantly increased the risk of cognitive impairments in later life, leading to higher prevalence of Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and dementia. We also found the sex and rural-urban differences in this malnutrition-induced effect. Illiteracy, history of stroke or diabetes mellitus are great risk factors to facilitate the cognitive decline.

Conclusion: These findings demonstrate that exposure to famine during early life including prenatal period and early childhood facilitates aging-associated cognitive deficits.

Cite this article as:

Kang Yu, Zhang Yun, Feng Zijuan, Liu Mingjing, Li Yanhua, Yang Huan, Wang Dan, Zheng Lingling, Lou Dandan, Cheng Liangping, Chen Chunjiang, Zhou Weitao, Feng Yi, Li Xiaoyong, Duan Jianzhong , Yu Mengjiao, Yang Shou, Liu Yuhang, Wang Xin, Deng Bo, Liu Chenghui, Yao Xiuqing, Zhu Chi, Liang Chunrong , Zeng Xiaolong, Ren Sisi, Li Qunying, Zhong Yin, Zhang Yong, Kang Jun, Yan Yong, Meng Huaqing, Zhong Zhaohui, Zhou Weihui, Wang Yanjiang , Li Tingyu*, Song Weihong*, Nutritional Deficiency in Early Life Facilitates Aging-Associated Cognitive Decline, Current Alzheimer Research 2017; 14 (8) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1567205014666170425112331

DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1567205014666170425112331	Print ISSN 1567-2050
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher	Online ISSN 1875-5828