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. 2019 Aug 12;8(8):302. doi: 10.3390/antiox8080302

Table 6.

Association between nut consumption and cognitive disorders.

Author, Year, Country [Ref] Design Subjects (F:M)
Mean Age (Range)
Length of Intervention Comparison Group Intake of Nuts Findings
Sánchez-Villegas et al., 2011, Spain [118] RCT 152 (76:76)
68 y
3 y Control (low-fat diet *) MD + 30 g/d nuts (15 g W + 15 g A) ↓ risk for low plasma BDNF values
OR 0.22 (95% CI: 0.05–0.90, p = 0.04) vs. control
Martínez-Lapiscina et al., 2013, Spain [121] RCT, multicenter 522 (289:233)
67 y
6.5 y Control (low-fat diet *) MD + 30 g/d nuts (15 g W, 7.5 g H, 7.5 g A) ↑ cognition
↑ MMSE 0.57 (95% CI: 0.11–1.03, p = 0.015) vs. control
↑ CDT 0.33 (95% CI: 0.003–0.67, p = 0.048) vs. control
Valls-Pedret et al., 2015, Spain [123] RCT 334 (170:164)
67 (55–80) y
4.1 y Control (low-fat diet *) MD + 30 g/d nuts (15 g W, 7.5 g H, 7.5 g A) ↓ age-related cognitive decline
↑ memory composite 0.09 (95% CI: −0.05 to 0.23, p = 0.04) vs. control
↑ frontal cognition composite 0.03 (95% CI: −0.25 to 0.31, p = 0.03) vs. control
Barbour et al., 2017, Australia [124] RCT,
Crossover
61 (32:29)
65 y
12 wk Control (nut free diet) 56–84 g peanut/d ↑ cognitive functions (short-term memory, verbal fluency, processing speed) vs. control
Nooyens et al., 2011, the Netherlands [119] Prospective 2613 (1325:1288)
55 (43–70) y
Ongoing since 1995 Tree nuts and peanuts
5 quintiles of nut consumption
↑ cognitive function at baseline
↓ cognitive decline: memory (highest vs. lowest nut intake, p = 0.03); global cognitive function (highest vs. lowest nut intake, p = 0.02)
Valls-Pedret et al., 2012, Spain [120] Cross-sectional 447 (233:214)
67 (55–80) y
30 g W/d ↑ cognitive function (working memory, p = 0.039)
O’Brien et al., 2014, USA [122] Prospective 15,467 women
74 y
6 y Tree nuts and peanuts
(1) never, <1/mo
(2) 1–3/mo
(3) 1/wk
(4) 2–4/wk
(5) 5/wk
↑ cognitive performance
↑ cognition (4), (5) vs. (1)

* low-fat diet—all types of fat, from both animal and vegetable sources, reduced, but no fat-free foods. A—almonds; BDNF—brain-derived neurotrophic factor; CDT—Clock Drawing Test; CI—confidence interval; F—women; H—hazelnuts; M—men; MD—Mediterranean diet; MMSE—Mini-Mental State Examination; OR—odds ratio; RCT—randomized controlled trial; W—walnuts.