Although regular consumption of soluble dietary fiber has been shown to support multiple markers of gastrointestinal and physical health, the effects of regular fiber consumption for promoting cognitive health remain unclear. Additionally, the GI microbiota-dependent mechanisms by which dietary fiber may impact markers of cognitive function remain understudied. Thus, the overarching aim of this study is to test the influence of daily consumption of a soluble corn fiber (SCF) known i.e., PROMITOR® Soluble Fibre™ for cognitive function among middle and older-aged adults. The primary hypothesis is that daily consumption of dietary fiber over a period of 4 weeks will significantly improve executive function. The secondary hypothesis is that the influence of SCF on cognitive outcomes will be mediated by improvement in GI bacterial taxa and fermentation-end product profiles. These hypotheses will be tested by conducting a 4 week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over study among healthy, i.e., free-living cognitively intact middle-aged and older adults between45-75 years of age. This work is significant because most Americans do not meet their recommended dietary fiber intake and there is a growing interest in understanding the potential benefits of consuming dietary fiber for broader health outcomes including both gastrointestinal and cognitive health.
The overarching aim of this study is to test the influence of daily consumption of a soluble corn fiber (SCF) known i.e., PROMITOR® Soluble Fibre™ for cognitive function among middle and older-aged adults.