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Background To extend healthspan has risen demand to maintain cognitive function through the exploitation of bioactive compounds from natural sources. We assessed the effects of daily intake of cumin essential oil (CEO), primarily composed of cuminaldehyde, on cognitive function in the elderly. Methods Thirty-eight participants (ages 65–86) were randomly assigned to either the CEO group (n = 19) or the placebo group (n = 19) for a 12-week trial (UMIN no. 000050328). Cognitive performance on Cognitrax test and relevant blood biomarkers were assessed before and after the intervention. Repeated measures analysis of covariance, adjusted for age and years of education, was performed. Results The analysis revealed a significant group × time interaction for the CEO group in psychomotor speed (p = 0. 012) and reaction time (p = 0. 022). Additionally, a simple main effect analysis indicated that psychomotor speed and reaction time scores were significantly improved in the CEO group post-intervention compared to pre-intervention (p = 0. 048 and p = 0. 012, respectively). Exploratory biomarker analyses showed significant main effects of time; however, no significant group × time interactions were observed for any biomarker, suggesting that these biological changes were not uniquely attributable to CEO supplementation in this pilot study. Conclusion Overall, this study suggest that the daily intake of CEO, rich in cuminaldehyde, have a beneficial effect on cognitive function in the elderly. These findings provide foundational knowledge that could contribute to strategies aimed at extending the healthy life expectancy of older adults. Clinical trial registration https: //center6. umin. ac. jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr/ctrᵥiew. cgi? recptno=R000057216, identifier UMIN000050328.
Ito et al. (Mon,) studied this question.