Folic acid, a group-B vitamin found in green leafy vegetables and liver, improves memory and cognitive function in older adults, according to a study conducted by a group of Dutch and Swiss researchers. The study, conducted on more than 800 volunteers aged 50 to 70, found that participants who took a low dose of folic acid supplements over a three-year period had better memories and information-processing abilities than those who were placed on placebos.

Cognitive functions, especially information processing and memory, are known to decline with age, which can eventually lead to dementia. But based on their results, researchers from the University of Wageningen in the Netherlands and the Nestle Research Center in Lausanne, Switzerland, say that folic acid supplementation may help.

Researchers found that the participants who took their folic acid supplements daily had similar cognitive abilities to people almost five years younger.

The study adds to the evidence of the health benefits of folic acid, which is recommended to women who are in their early stages of pregnancy to prevent neural tube defects in fetuses. Some previous studies have also linked taking folic acid to a decline in the rate of age-related hearing loss and Alzheimer's disease.

However, Dr. Jane Durga, the lead author of the study, says that more research is needed before the intake of folic acid can be clinically recommended.

The research has been published in the Jan. 20 issue of The Lancet.