Memory enhancement in Argentinian women during postpartum by the dietary intake of lignans and anthocyanins

Abstract Due to their polyphenolic content, vegetable foods have neuroprotective effects which provide health benefits for specific human groups. Thus, they may be a useful dietary component for women who experience mnesic variations during postpartum, and here we examined the hypothesis that polyphenols can differentially enhance memory functioning. In particular, we aimed to associate the dietary intake of polyphenols with different memory systems in Argentinian postpartum women. The daily intakes of polyphenol groups were calculated using a validated food frequency questionnaire and the Phenol-Explorer database. Short-term memory (STM), long-term memory (LTM), learning (L), lexical-semantic memory (LSM), and working memory (WM) were assessed. Partial Least Squares (PLS) regression models were used to analyze the dietary polyphenols (predictors) and memory domains (responses), taking into account demographic, obstetric, and psychological factors. The sample included 71 women, with an average age of 29.59 years (SE = 0.73). Most of these women lived in a couple (91%), were unemployed (63%), and had ≥ 12 years of formal education (72%). STM, LTM, L and LSM correlated with lignans and anthocyanins, with LTM also being correlated with flavanones, flavonols, and tyrosols, and L and LSM also being associated with flavonols. A significant correlation was also found between WM and lignans. In conclusion, a cognitive improvement was demonstrated, mainly associated with the intake of lignans and anthocyanins, in the STM, LTM, WM, L, and LSM systems of postpartum women. This is the first study to our knowledge suggesting a role of polyphenolic effects on memory functioning during postpartum.