Author
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Penland, James |
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Submitted to: Trace Elements in Man and Animals International Symposium
Publication Type: Abstract Only Publication Acceptance Date: 5/19/1996 Publication Date: N/A Citation: N/A Interpretive Summary: Technical Abstract: Findings from a series of controlled studies are presented which show that dietary intakes of the trace minerals zinc (Zn) and boron (B) may affect performance on cognitive tasks and psychomotor function. Among Zn deprived Chinese children (aged 6-9 y), treatment with 20 mg Zn/d or Zn plus a micronutrients (Zn + M; 50% RDA or mean ESSADI, excluding Zn, Ca, Mg, P; folate at 25% RDA) improved manual dexterity and eye-hand coordination more than treatment with micronutrients alone. Further, Zn + M improved performance on visual perception, non-verbal memory, and concept formation tasks more than treatment with either Zn or M alone. These findings complement similar results from two independent studies of young adult men and women in the United States, which showed positive effects of increased Zn intakes on memory, attention and psychomotor function. These findings have important implications for that segment of the world's population with suboptimal Zn intakes and status. In three studies conducted on older adults in the US, dietary B intakes > 3 mg/d improved manual dexterity, and performance on attention and short-term memory tasks, when compared to intakes < 0.25 mg B/d. Other effects of B on cognitive performance were observed in one but not all studies. Although B is not currently recognized as an essential nutrient, these findings suggest an important role for B in cognition and psychomotor function. Further experimental study of the consequences of Zn and B nutriture for cognitive performance and psychomotor function is necessary to determine the precise roles of these trace minerals for optimal health and function in humans. |