Nutritional interventions to support cognitive performance in aging

The REACTION trial (Reducing the Effects of Aging on Cognition with Therapeutic Intervention of an Oral multi-Nutrient combination) is a 6-month, randomized, placebo-controlled trial, assessing the feasibility of using an oral multi-nutrient combination (Souvenaid) in individuals with age-related cognitive decline. Christian J. Camargo, MD, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, discusses prior investigations in this space that led to the establishment of REACTION. As age-related cognitive decline is a pre-disease state and not a disease itself, regulatory approval is typically not required for interventions to be introduced in this setting and thus, data is limited. However, numerous studies have looked at nutritional interventions in prodromal and early-stage Alzheimer’s disease, which demonstrate beneficial effects on memory, cognition, and brain atrophy. Notably, individuals with higher cognitive scores at baseline had better outcomes than those with lower scores, supporting the idea that intervening early may be a beneficial approach. This interview took place at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference (AAIC) 2022 in San Diego, CA.