Nutrient found in leafy greens may help protect brain function from vascular aging

A new study from researchers at the University of Illinois suggests that lutein, a nutrient found in leafy greens and eggs, may help protect brain function as arteries stiffen with age. The study, published in the Journal of Nutrition, explored how arterial stiffness relates to cognitive performance, and whether blood levels of carotenoids can influence this relationship.

Enrolling 60 healthy adults aged 18 to 75, the researchers assessed vascular health, executive function using cognitive tasks and brain activity through event-related potentials. They also measured levels of five carotenoids, including lutein and lycopene, in participants’ blood.

Results showed that higher arterial stiffness was linked to slower brain responses during tasks that required attention and inhibition. Lycopene was the strongest predictor of arterial stiffness, but only lutein appeared to influence how stiffness impacted cognitive function.
“Serum lutein uniquely moderated the relationship between [carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity] and executive function,” the study reported, noting that individuals with higher lutein levels showed stronger associations between vascular stiffness and brain response delays, possibly reflecting compensatory brain activity.

While the study cannot establish cause and effect due to its cross-sectional design, it highlighted lutein’s potential neuroprotective role. The findings suggested that increasing lutein intake through diet may help preserve cognitive function, particularly in individuals at risk of vascular aging.

Read more: Journal of Nutrition

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