Efficacy of continuous ingestion of dewaxed brown rice on the cognitive functions of the residents of elderly welfare facilities: A pilot test using crossover trial

Compared with regular brown rice, dewaxed brown rice (DBR), prepared by excluding only the wax layer in the outermost layer of brown rice using a new rice milling technique, has improved water absorbency, digestibility, and taste. Dewaxed brown rice has a nutritional value close to that of brown rice and contains a large amount of lipopolysaccharides (LPS), which are known to improve the cognitive function of mice. In this study, we examined the effect of continuous DBR ingestion on the cognitive function of elderly people. A crossover comparison test was performed, in which elderly people who moved into an elderly welfare facility were divided into two groups and ingested DBR or polished white rice for three meals a day for 6 months, followed by a change in test meals for the next 6 months. Cognitive function was assessed using Revised Hasegawa's Dementia Scale (HDS‐R) before starting the test and 6 months after ingesting each test meal. No subjects withdrew or discontinued DBR intake during the study period, and all subjects continued the test for 6 months. In subjects with low cognitive function (defined as subjects with HDS‐R total score of ≥1 but <10 at the start of the study), there was a significant association between continuous DBR ingestion and cognitive function improvement (increase in total HDS‐R score). Our findings suggest that the long‐term DBR ingestion as a staple food could be useful for preventing cognitive decline in elderly; it offers an easily implemented option as a daily diet for preventing cognitive decline.