Whole Egg Intake and Choline Concentration in the Aging Brain

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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By doing this study, researchers hope to learn to see if there is relationship between whole egg consumption and brain choline status. Additionally, researchers also plan to see if there is a relationship between brain choline status and cognition.

Detailed Description
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Participants will come to the research center for 2 different visits. Visit 1 will include anthropometric measurements, surveys, and a cognitive test. Approximately 7-10 days after visit 1, participants will come back to the research center for visit 2. At visit 2, participants will return surveys and a MRI scan will be performed to measure brain choline status. Potential participants need to be located within the Kansas City metro area.

Official Title
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Whole Egg Intake and Choline Concentration in the Aging Brain

Conditions
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Alzheimer Disease

Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Aged between 60 - 85 years of age Good general health with no concomitant diseases Cognitively normal as defined as Mini-mental state examination (MMSE) score ≥ 25 BMI range: 20 - 40 kg/m2 Exclusion Criteria: Presence of central neurological disease (e.g., brain tumor, stroke, epilepsy, motor neuron disease, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's) Prior major head trauma with loss of consciousness Presence of active unstable and life-threatening illness (e.g., cancer) Presence of major psychiatric disorder within the past 3 years including depression, anxiety, and alcohol (over 3 drinks per day or total of 18 per week) or drug abuse (DSM-IV criteria; Geriatric Depression Score > 6) Presence of diabetes mellitus or use of anti-diabetic agents Use of psychoactive and investigational medications Use of hormone replacement therapy Tobacco smokers Subjects with MRI contraindications

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 60 Years
Maximum Age: 85 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Low Egg Consumers<br>Participants who consume fewer than 1 whole egg per week | |
| Moderate Egg Consumers<br>Participants who consume 5-9 whole eggs per week | |
| High Egg Consumers<br>Participants who consumes great than or equal to 14 whole eggs per week | |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Association Between Whole Egg Intake and Cerebral Choline | The investigators will recruit a variety of whole egg consumers. Egg consumption will be validated with a 7-day food record 1 week before the MRI. Cerebral choline levels are measured by magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) | Baseline | 
| Association Between Cerebral Choline and Cognition | The investigators will test the association between cerebral choline as measured by MRS and cognition. Cognition will be measured by the NIH ToolBox cognitive battery. | Baseline | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Choline, Egg Consumption, Alzheimer Disease, Cognitive Impairment, Dementia