Whole Egg Intake and Choline Concentration in the Aging Brain

Participants will come to the research center for 2 different visits. Visit 1 will include anthropometric measurements, surveys, and a cognitive test. Approximately 7-10 days after visit 1, participants will come back to the research center for visit 2. At visit 2, participants will return surveys and a MRI scan will be performed to measure brain choline status. Potential participants need to be located within the Kansas City metro area.

Inclusion criteria

• Aged between 60 - 85 years of age
• Good general health with no concomitant diseases
• Cognitively normal as defined as Mini-mental state examination (MMSE) score ≥ 25
• BMI range: 20 - 40 kg/m2

Exclusion criteria

• Presence of central neurological disease (e.g., brain tumor, stroke, epilepsy, motor neuron disease, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's)
• Prior major head trauma with loss of consciousness
• Presence of active unstable and life-threatening illness (e.g., cancer)
• Presence of major psychiatric disorder within the past 3 years including depression, anxiety, and alcohol (over 3 drinks per day or total of 18 per week) or drug abuse (DSM-IV criteria; Geriatric Depression Score > 6)
• Presence of diabetes mellitus or use of anti-diabetic agents
• Use of psychoactive and investigational medications
• Use of hormone replacement therapy
• Tobacco smokers
• Subjects with MRI contraindications