A study of 2,044 older Japanese adults found that those with lower vitamin C levels in their blood plasma tended to have a lower volume of gray matter in their brains, as well as lower connectivity amongst a collection of brain regions known as the default mode network, according to findings published on June 10 in PLOS One.
Haruka Nagaya of Hirosaki University, Japan, and colleagues conducted the research by analyzing magnetic resonance imaging scans and plasma vitamin C levels among participants over the age of 64. The study measured both gray and white matter volumes while accounting for individual differences in total brain volume.
Researchers also evaluated connectivity within the default mode network, which is associated with cognitive functions such as attention and autobiographical memory. After statistically accounting for factors like age, physical activity habits, and education level, they found that participants with lower plasma vitamin C levels tended to have both lower gray matter volume and reduced connectivity within this network.
The authors said these findings suggest the possibility that optimal levels of vitamin C in blood plasma could potentially support cognitive function and counteract cognitive decline. However, they emphasized that no cause-effect relationship has been confirmed between vitamin C levels and brain health, and further research is needed to explore biological mechanisms behind these statistical associations.
Tomohiro Shintaku said, "Our study demonstrates that higher plasma vitamin C levels are associated with better preserved structural connectivity of the default mode network (DMN), a key brain network involved in cognitive function. This finding generates the exciting hypothesis that a diet rich in vitamin C might play a supportive role in maintaining brain health and mitigating age-related cognitive decline in older adults."
"What I found most fascinating about this research is that we were able to detect these subtle but significant associations between a single nutritional factor and large-scale brain networks by utilizing a robust, community-based cohort of over 2,000 older adults. It truly highlights the potential impact of our everyday dietary habits on our brain structures," Shintaku said.
