, July 1 -- A new study involving more than 2,000 older adults in Japan suggests that higher levels of vitamin C in the blood are associated with healthier brain structure and stronger connections between key brain regions linked to memory and attention.

The findings add to growing evidence that a healthy diet may help support brain health as people age, although researchers say the study does not prove that vitamin C directly protects the brain.

The research, led by Haruka Nagaya of Hirosaki University, was published on June 10 in the open-access journal PLOS One.

Researchers analyzed brain MRI scans and blood samples from 2,044 Japanese adults aged 64 and older to examine whether blood vitamin C levels were linked to changes in the b...