CEREBROVASCULAR FUNCTION, COGNITION AND OVERALL WELL-BEING IN POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN ARE IMPROVED FOLLOWING REGULAR RESVERATROL SUPPLEMENTATION

Abstract

Impairment of cerebrovascular function is evident after menopause, which may explain the heightened risk of dementia in postmenopausal women. We tested whether supplementation with resveratrol (a phytoestrogen) could improve their cerebrovascular function and cognitive performance and overall well-being. Eighty community dwelling postmenopausal women aged 45–85 years were randomised to take resveratrol (resVida™, 2 x 75 mg/day) or placebo for 14 weeks and changes in the following were assessed: cognitive tests for executive function, semantic, verbal and visuospatial working memory; transcranial Doppler ultrasound recording of percent increase of blood flow velocity in the middle cerebral artery to both cognitive testing and hypercapnia (breathing carbogen gas for 3 min), which assessed neurovascular coupling capacity and global vasodilatation respectively. Rating scales from self-reports of pain, sleep, menopausal symptoms, mood states and quality of life using Short-Form 36 were averaged to provide a composite score representing overall well-being. Compared to placebo, supplementation with resveratrol elicited 17% increases in cerebrovascular responsiveness (CVR) to both the hypercapnic (P=0.010) and cognitive stimuli (P=0.002). The latter was an overall response to the cognitive test battery. There were also increases in CVR to verbal memory (P=0.041) and in overall cognitive performance (p=0.020) that correlated with the enhancement of neurovascular coupling capacity (r=0.327, P=0.048). We also found a significant reduction in perception of pain (P<0.001), attributable to age-related osteoarthritis, and an improvement in overall well-being (P=0.008) following supplementation; both outcomes correlated with the treatment change in CVR to hypercapnia. Neither pain reduction nor boosting of overall well-being significantly correlated with the improvement of cognitive performance. This is the first demonstration that regular consumption of a modest dose of resveratrol can enhance cognition and overall well-being and reduce pain perception in postmenopausal women; all of which were partially attributed to enhancement of cerebrovascular function. Further investigation elucidating the underlying mechanisms involving circulatory function and age-related chronic pain is warranted. Our findings offer a promising new approach for reducing the heightened risk of accelerated cognitive decline in this population.