Consumption of dewaxed brown rice for a six-month period improves cognitive function in older adults: an open-label trial

Brown rice has received attention for its potential to improve cognitive function, but evidence from human subjects is scarce. Therefore, we conducted an open-label trial to examine the effectiveness of consuming low doses of dewaxed brown rice for six months in improving or maintaining cognitive function in older adults without cognitive impairment. Fifty-six cognitively healthy older people (≥60 years old) were recruited for this study; participants were divided into groups (consuming dewaxed brown rice or white rice) and asked to consume each type of rice four times per week for six months. We evaluated cognitive function before and after the intervention period to examine the effects of consuming dewaxed brown rice on cognitive function. Our analyses showed that the total score on the Frontal Assessment Battery was improved in the brown-rice group but not in the white-rice group. Post-hoc analysis demonstrated that the total score on the Frontal Assessment Battery improved in the brown rice group but not the white rice group after intervention. In contrast, the total score on the Mini-Mental State Examination was not changed in either group. These findings suggest that consuming low doses of dewaxed brown rice improved executive function in older people.