THE NUTBRAIN STUDY PROJECT
Exploring the complex relationship between Nutrition, gUT microbiota and BRain AgING.
The NutBrain Study aims at investigating the association of dietary habits with brain ageing, and their role in modulating the gut microbiota composition, and brain measures as well.
This is a population-based cohort study of community-dwelling adults aged 65 years or more living in Lombardy Region, Italy. At the point of presentation, people are screened for nutritional status and cognitive functions. Socio-demographic characteristics along with lifestyles and dietary habits, medical history, drugs, functional status, and anthropometric measurements are also recorded. Based on the cognitive screening score, a subsample undergoes a clinical evaluation including a neurological examination and a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanning (both structural and functional). Stool and blood samples for the gut microbiota analysis and for the evaluation of biological markers are also collected.
Eligible participants
The NutBrain study targets people over 65 years old residing in Milan and its province. Participation is free and voluntary and does not require any cost. The eligible population is contacted by means of a letter of invitation, in which people are invited to contact the ITB-CNR by phone to schedule the first visit during which he/she is asked to bring the last instrumental and clinical exams prescribed by their general practitioner. A trained team visits participants at the research facility in their residence town. The clinical examination takes place at the Hospital.
Currently, 640 participants have been screened (mean age 74 years ± 6.5 SD, 59.9% females) and 230 underwent the clinical examination.
Relevance and expected impacts
The NutBrain Study is an innovative study that incorporates modern and advanced technologies (i.e. microbiome and neuroimaging) into the traditional epidemiologic design. The study represents a unique opportunity to address key questions about the role of modifiable risk factors on cognitive impairment, with a particular focus on dietary habits and their association with gut microbiota and markers of the brain-ageing process. These findings will help to encourage and plan lifestyle interventions, for both prevention and treatment, aiming at promoting healthy cognitive ageing.
— STUDY COORDINATION —
The study is coordinated by the Institute of Biomedical Technologies – National Research Council (ITB-CNR) of Segrate (MI, Italy) and by the IRCCS Fondazione Istituto Neurologico C. Mondino of Pavia (Italy). The project was approved by the Ethics Committee of Pavia.
The study is funded by the Italian Ministry of Health (GR-2016-02361730730).
The protocol is registered at ClinicalTrials.Gov (NCT04461951).
— RESEARCH STAFF —
Federica Prinelli (PI) — Sara Bernini (CO-PI) — Marco Severgnini (UO Leader)
Team Members: Fulvio Adorni, Silvia Conti, Maria Lea Correa Leite, Alfredo Costa, Matteo Cotta Ramusino, Nithiya Jesuthasan, Alfonso Mastropietro, Massimo Musicco, Orietta Pansarasa, Elena Perdixi, Anna Pichiecchio, and Elena Sinforiani
IT Staff to support research activities: Nithiya, Jesuthasan, Aleksandra Soijc and Nicola Losito
Scientific Administrative Staff: Emanuela Gerosa and Gianfranca Lovicu
Illustrations: Stefano Fabbri
PUBLICATIONS
Exploring the relationship between Nutrition, gUT microbiota, and BRain AgINg in community-dwelling seniors: the Italian NutBrain population-based cohort study protocol.
Prinelli F, Jesuthasan N, Severgnini M, Musicco M, Adorni F, Correa Leite ML, Crespi C, and Bernini S.
BMC Geriatrics (2020) 23;20(1):253.
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-020-01652-2
PROtein enriched MEDiterranean diet to combat undernutrition and promote healthy neuroCOGnitive ageing in older adults: The PROMED-COG consortium project. Roisin F. O’Neill, Lorraine Brennan, Federica Prinelli, Giuseppe Sergi, Caterina Trevisan, Lisette C. P. G. M. De Groot, Dorothee Volkert, Stefania Maggi, Marianna Noale, Silvia Conti, Fulvio Adorni, Jayne V. Woodside, Michelle C. McKinley, Bernadette McGuinness,Chris Cardwell, Claire T. McEvoy,
Nutrition Bullettin (2022); 47:356–365.
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-020-01652-2
Investigating the individual and joint effects of socioeconomic status and lifestyle factors on mild cognitive impairment in older Italians living independently in the community: results from the NutBrain study.
Sara Bernini, Silvia Conti, Elena Perdixi, Nithiya Jesuthasan, Alfredo Costa, Marco Severgnini, Matteo Cotta Ramusino, Federica Prinelli, on behalf of the NutBrain Study Group
The Journal of nutrition, health and aging, Volume 28, Issue 3, March 2024, 100040 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnha.2024.100040
Adherence to Mediterranean diet is inversely associated with depressive symptoms in older women: findings from the NutBrain Study
Silvia Conti, Elena Perdixi, Sara Bernini, Nithiya Jesuthasan, Marco Severgnini and Federica Prinelli
Cambridge University Press: 16 February 2024 https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007114524000461
Polypharmacy, drug-drug interactions, anticholinergic burden and cognitive outcomes: a snapshot from a community-dwelling sample of older men and women in northern Italy
Elena Perdixi, Matteo Cotta Ramusino, Alfredo Costa, Sara Bernini, Silvia Conti, Nithiya Jesuthasan, Marco Severgnini & Federica Prinelli on behalf of the Nutbrain Study Group.
Eur J Ageing 21, 11 (2024) https://doi.org/10.1007/s10433-024-00806-0
Pre-existing mental health disorders and fear of COVID-19 pandemic: Data from a phone survey in community-dwelling older adults recruited in the NutBrain study
Elena Perdixi, Sara Bernini, Sivia Conti, Nithiya Jesuthasan, Matteo Cotta Ramusino, Alfredo Costa, Federica Prinelli
Front Psychiatry 2022 Nov 7:13:995308 doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.995308