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Cognitive function in healthy older European adults: the ZENITH study

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 59, pages S26–S30 (2005)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective:

Baseline data are reported from a study of the effects of zinc supplementation on cognitive function in older adults as assessed by the CANTAB computerised test battery.

Design:

This is a multicentre prospective intervention study employing a randomised double-blind design.

Setting:

European community-based study.

Participants:

There are 387 healthy adults aged 55–87 y from centres in France, Italy and Northern Ireland.

Interventions:

Measures of visual memory, working memory and attention were obtained at baseline (prior to supplementation).

Results:

Younger adults (<70 y) performed significantly better than older adults (>70 y) on all tests, with minimal differences between centres. In addition, men outperformed women on tests of spatial span, pattern recognition memory and reaction times, although these gender differences varied somewhat between centres.

Conclusions:

The results are generally consistent with previous age- and gender-related effects on cognitive functioning.

Sponsorship:

The ZENITH study is supported by the European Commission ‘Quality of Life and Management of Living Resources’ Fifth Framework Programme, Contract No. QLK1-CT-2001-00168.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Psychology/NICHE University of Ulster, Northern Ireland, UK

    E E A Simpson, G Rae, C McConville & B J Stewart-Knox

  2. Department of Psychology, University of Warwick, UK

    E A Maylor

  3. Centre de Recherche en Nutrition Humaine d'Auvergne, Unité Maladies Métaboliques et Micro-nutriments, INRA, Centre de Recherche de Clermont-Ferrand/Theix, Saint Genès Champanelle, France

    N Meunier & C Coudray

  4. Laboratoire de Nutrition Vieillissement et Maladies Cardiovasculaires, Faculté de Pharmacie, Université de Joseph Fourier, Domaine de la Merci, La Tronche, France

    M Andriollo-Sanchez & M Ferry

  5. National Institute for Food and Nutrition Research Human Nutrition Unit, Roma, Italy

    G Catasta & A Polito

  6. Cambridge Cognition Limited, UK

    D L Secker

Authors
  1. E E A Simpson
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  2. E A Maylor
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  4. N Meunier
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  6. G Catasta
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  7. C McConville
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  8. M Ferry
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  9. A Polito
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  10. B J Stewart-Knox
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  11. D L Secker
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  12. C Coudray
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to E E A Simpson.

Additional information

Guarantor: EEA Simpson.

Contributors: EEAS gathered data, wrote the paper and contributed to the statistical analysis. EAM contributed to the paper and helped with statistical analysis. GR contributed to the statistical analysis. NM gathered data and contributed to paper writing. MA gathered data and contributed to paper writing. GC gathered data and contributed to paper writing. CM contributed to writing of paper. MF contributed to writing of paper. AP gathered data and contributed to paper writing. BJS contributed to writing of paper. DS, industrial partner, contributed to paper preparation and helped with statistical analysis. CC is the Zenith study coordinator.

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Simpson, E., Maylor, E., Rae, G. et al. Cognitive function in healthy older European adults: the ZENITH study. Eur J Clin Nutr 59 (Suppl 2), S26–S30 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602294

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