Award details

HDHL-Biomarkers: VALID, Valerolactones and healthy Ageing: Linking diet, biomarkers and metabolic health with cognition in older adults

Reference	BB/P028225/1
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Professor Helene McNulty
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors	Dr Christopher Gill, Professor Adrian Moore, Professor Sean Strain, Professor Mary Ward
Institution	University of Ulster
Department	Sch of Biomedical Sciences
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	182,926
Status	Completed
Type	Research Grant
Start date	25/05/2017
End date	30/09/2019
Duration	28 months

Abstract

Globally, populations are ageing; with a commensurate increase in cognitive dysfunction. Dietary patterns/nutritional components are recognised to have a beneficial role, thus offering potential strategies to prevent or delay the onset of cognitive dysfunction in ageing. (Poly)phenols are one such category, but linking these to cognition and other health outcomes is problematic because of their transient appearance in plasma which limits the development of robust biomarkers of dietary exposure. Procyanidins, abundant in foods such as tea, cocoa, grapes, nuts and berries, are of specific interest among polyphenols, and are almost exclusively metabolised by colonic bacteria to phenolic acids and valerolactones. The latter are now thought to exert the potential biological effects (i.e. neuroprotective/anti-inflammatory) originally attributed to their parent dietary compounds, but with the advantage of being stable (up to 48h) in plasma, thus offering a new biomarker of dietary exposure to the relevant (poly)phenols. We aim to validate plasma gamma-valerolactones as stable biomarkers of procyanidin-rich foods and demonstrate their association with markers of inflammation and metabolic health, and ultimately cognitive function, in an ageing European population. We will utilise data and perform new analysis on samples from the TUDA cohort study 5,186 adults aged 60-102 years recruited from the island of Ireland, and including a range of existing biomarkers, metabolic health status and cognitive measures. Apart from the existing bio-banked TUDA study, we will access data and samples from 'TUDA 5+', a follow-up study of 1000 participants from the original cohort 5 years after their initial investigation, to determine the role of procyanidin-rich foods in preventing cognitive decline. Our project will identify and validate gamma-valerolactones as novel biomarkers that are modulated by dietary (poly)phenols and associated with favourable health outcomes in ageing.

Summary

Globally, populations are ageing; by 2050 it is estimated that more than 2 billion people will be aged over 60 years. This will be accompanied by an increase in cognitive dysfunction which ranges from mild cognitive impairment to dementia. Certain dietary patterns or nutritional components may have a beneficial role, thus offering potential strategies to prevent or delay the onset of cognitive dysfunction in ageing. (Poly)phenols are one such category, but linking these to cognition and other health outcomes is difficult because they appear in the blood for only a brief period of time (2-4 hours) after consumption of fruits and vegetables, which then limits the development of good blood based biomarkers of dietary consumption as a result. Our study will address this problem; procyanidins commonly found in foods such as tea, cocoa, grapes, nuts and berries, are of specific interest among (poly)phenols, and are almost exclusively broken down by gut bacteria to phenolic acids and valerolactones. These valerolactones are thought to be beneficial to health and have the added advantage that they remain in the blood for longer periods of time (up to 48 hours), thus offering new blood based biomarker(s) to detect dietary consumption of foods such as tea, cocoa, grapes, nuts and berries. In our project we aim to validate gamma-valerolactones as stable blood biomarkers of foods such as tea, cocoa, grapes, nuts and berries and demonstrate their association with markers of inflammation and metabolic health, and ultimately cognitive function, in an ageing European population. To do this, we will utilise data and perform new analysis on samples from the Trinity, Ulster, Department of Agriculture Study (TUDA) cohort study, a unique resource designed to assess nutrition and ageing in 5,186 adults aged 60-102 years recruited from the island of Ireland, and including a range of existing biomarkers, metabolic health status and cognitive measures. In this way, our project will identify and validate gamma-valerolactones as novel biomarkers that are modulated by dietary (poly)phenols and associated with favourable health outcomes in ageing.

Impact Summary

VALID will identify and validate novel biomarkers (plasma gamma-valerolactones) that are modulated by dietary polyphenols and associated with favorable cognitive health in older age. Providing the following impacts. 1) We will provide input to stakeholders, policy-makers, influencers and healthcare regulatory bodies at National and International levels, that have the striking need of taking advantage of up-to-date and easily adoptable scientifically robust recommendations for a correct evidence-based action. The project will help to address healthcare challenges by identifying effective dietary advice and options for intervention with nutritional products specifically designed to promote health and wellness in our ageing population. In addition, the European Commission JRC report recently identified multidisciplinary research into nutrition and brain health in older people as a major priority (Joint Research Centre European Commission, 2014) and called for the use of state-of-the-art technologies to provide a better understanding of the interactions between biological and environmental factors on brain health in ageing. Particularly of interest in this regard is our proposed use of Geographical Information System (GIS), a system that applies geospatial technologies and regional census data to produce socioeconomic profiles of the study regions. This aspect of the proposal could be of particular benefit as it allows for a more robust definition of socio-economic status compared with traditional approaches, and will enable nutritional information to be linked with geographic and socio-economic data, thereby allowing potential health inequalities as people age to be explored. 2) The VALID project will help to address economic healthcare challenges by identifying cost-effective strategies for future systemic and resource allocation decisions. The project is also well aligned with the European Innovation Partnership Strategic Implementation Plan on active and healthyageing for: 'Prevention of functional decline, both physical and cognitive, in older people'. 3) VALID project is likely to have commercial impact, companies such as Ferrero and DSM will be able to use this information to innovate, developing functional products rich in bioactive compounds tailored to improving cognitive health in the elderly, creating novel IP for exploitation and new markets globally to increase revenue and grow the UK & European economy. 4) The project will also provide a post-doctoral researcher and PhD student with an excellent training opportunity in nutrition science with input from partner organizations at the forefront of nutrition research. The post-doctoral researcher and PhD student will strengthen their career prospects with experience in key cutting-edge skills gained in fundamental and applied science. Such training will strengthen the UK's economic competitiveness by providing a well-educated candidate for the burgeoning food and health area.

Committee	Not funded via Committee
Research Topics	Ageing, Diet and Health, Neuroscience and Behaviour
Research Priority	X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative	ERA-HDHL Biomarkers for Nutrition and Health [2016]
Funding Scheme	X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme

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