(P27-022-23) Effects of Lutein Supplementation on Carotenoid Status and Cognition Among Persons With Multiple Sclerosis

Objectives: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a demyelinating disease of the central nervous system often accompanied by visual and cognitive impairment. Lutein supplementation has improved macular pigment optical density (MPOD) and cognitive function among healthy adults. However, no previous research has examined the effects of lutein supplementation in persons with MS. Thus, we investigated the effects of 4-month lutein supplementation on measures of carotenoid status and cognitive function in MS.

Methods: Participants (N=21) were randomly assigned to the placebo (safflower oil without lutein, n = 9) or treatment (20 mg/day lutein with safflower oil, n = 12) group for a 4-month period. Carotenoid status was assessed in the macula (MPOD), skin, and serum using heterochromatic flicker photometry, reflection spectroscopy, and high-performance liquid chromatography, respectively. Cognitive function was assessed via the Eriksen flanker task, the i-Position spatial memory task, and the symbol digit modalities test.

Results: There was a significant group by time interaction whereby the treatment group exhibited a significant increase in MPOD (∆x̄= 0.24, p = 0.006), skin carotenoids (∆x̄= 141.97, p < 0.001), and serum lutein (∆x̄= 0.51, p < 0.001). There was no significant interaction effect for any of the cognitive outcomes. However, there was a significant positive association between change in MPOD with change in flanker incongruent accuracy (rho = 0.51, p = 0.044) and change in object location binding in the spatial memory task (rho = 0.55, p = 0.033) only among the treatment group. No significant associations were observed for changes in cognitive function and changes in serum lutein or skin carotenoids.

Conclusions: These findings are the first to demonstrate improved carotenoid status in the macula, skin, and serum in persons with MS following lutein supplementation. Additionally, change in macular carotenoids, but not skin carotenoids or serum lutein, was related to improved attention and memory, providing support for targeting neural carotenoids for cognitive benefits in MS. Larger intervention trials are necessary to confirm lutein supplementation effects on cognitive function.

Funding Sources: University of Illinois Division of Nutritional Sciences and the National Institutes of Health REACT Center