Employing time-dependent proportional hazards modeling, the authors found no significant association between statin use and incident dementia or probable AD. In contrast, when the data were analyzed, inappropriately, as a case-control study, the authors found an OR of 0.55 for probable AD, falsely indicating a protective effect of statins. Study design and analytic methods may explain the discrepancy between the current null findings and earlier findings.

Globally populations are ageing. By 2050, it is estimated that there will be two billion people aged 60 years or over, of which 131 million are projected to be affected by dementia, while depression is predicted to be the second leading cause of disability worldwide by 2020. Preventing or delaying the onset of these disorders should therefore be a public health priority. There is some evidence linking certain dietary patterns, particularly the Mediterranean diet, with a reduced risk of dementia and depression. Specific dietary components have also been investigated in relation to brain health, with emerging evidence supporting protective roles for n-3 PUFA, polyphenols, vitamin D and B-vitamins. At this time, the totality of evidence is strongest in support of a role for folate and the metabolically related B-vitamins (vitamin B12, vitamin B6 and riboflavin) in slowing the progression of cognitive decline and possibly reducing the risk of depression in ageing. Future studies incorporating new technologies, such as MRI and magnetoencephalography, offer much promise in identifying effective nutrition interventions that could reduce the risk of cognitive and mental disorders. This review will explore the ageing brain and the emerging evidence linking diet and specific nutrients with cognitive function and depression in ageing, with the potential to develop strategies that could improve quality of life in our ageing population.

This study draws on data from over 5000 European adults of 60+ years and shows that better folate and related B-vitamin status may have a positive impact on mental health in older adults.

This analysis combining data from two health systems shows that area deprivation is an independent risk factor for cognitive dysfunction in older adults. Adults living in areas of greatest socioeconomic deprivation may benefit from targeted strategies aimed at improving modifiable risk factors for dementia. Further cross-national analysis investigating the impact of area- level deprivation is needed to address socioeconomic disparities and shape future policy to improve health outcomes in older adults.© 2018 American Geriatrics Society and Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Globally populations are ageing and mental health disorders, including dementia and depression, are reported as the leading cause of disability and ill health in older people (1). Epidemiological and randomised trial evidence supports potential roles for folate and the metabolically related B-vitamins in preventing cognitive dysfunction and depression in ageing, but the evidence is inconsistent (2). The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of supplementation with folate and related B-vitamins, over a 2 year period, on cognitive function (primary outcome) and depression (secondary outcome) in older adults. The B-vitamins and Brain Health in Older People (BrainHOP) randomised controlled trial was conducted in adults aged 70 years and older. Participants were randomised to receive a supplement containing folic acid (400 µg), vitamin B12 (10 µg), vitamin B6 (10 mg) and riboflavin (10 mg) or placebo daily. Cognitive function was assessed before and after the 2-year intervention using the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB) and the Repeatable Battery of the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS). Depression was assessed using the Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression (CES-D) scale. Of the 328 participants initially recruited, 249 (74%) participants completed the intervention. Results showed that B-vitamin intervention appeared to have no significant effect on either frontal lobe or global cognitive function (as measured by FAB and RBANS, respectively). However, when specific domains within global cognition (i.e. RBANS index scores) were examined separately, B-vitamin intervention was found to protect against visuospatial cognitive decline over the two year period (Table).