A diet considered brain-healthy could slow the physical damage associated with diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, researchers suggest.
According to a large long-term study, people who adhered more closely to this eating pattern showed slower brain cell loss and less overall shrinkage on scans – changes that are strongly linked to memory loss and dementia.
This regimen is known as the MIND diet, a combination of the Mediterranean and DASH diets, and focuses on foods such as green leafy vegetables, berries, nuts, olive oil, and fish.
This diet has previously been linked to a lower risk of dementia, but now researchers say they have stronger evidence that it can slow the damage that leads to these diseases.
In the study published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry, the authors point out that encouraging people to follow this eating pattern could be a simple way to tackle the increase in dementia cases, especially in an aging population.
Dr Mohammad Talaei, lecturer in epidemiology at Queen Mary University of London, described the study as a major step towards understanding whether our diet can improve brain health.
To assess the effects of diet, researchers followed 1,647 middle-aged and older adults from the Framingham Heart Study Offspring cohort for about 12 years.
Participants completed detailed dietary questionnaires, covering about 140 food items, and underwent at least two MRI scans during the study period.
The researchers then calculated a MIND diet score from 0 to 15, based on how closely each participant's eating habits matched the recommendations for nine recommended food groups, five restricted food groups, and moderate wine consumption.
On average, participants scored 6.8 points out of 15.
Those with the highest scores were more likely to be women, college-educated, and nonsmokers. They also had fewer cases of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease — all known risk factors for dementia.
Other lifestyle factors, such as smoking, physical activity and body mass index, were also taken into account in the analysis.
As expected, all participants showed some age-related brain decline over the years of the study.
However, those who followed the MIND diet more closely experienced a slower decline in gray matter and less enlargement of the brain's ventricles – fluid-filled spaces that enlarge when brain tissue is lost.
The most noticeable changes were observed in the hippocampus, a key area for learning and memory.
Gray matter is rich in nerve cells and plays a central role in memory, learning and decision-making, while the enlargement of the ventricles is considered an important indicator of brain atrophy.
The researchers found that a three-point increase in the MIND diet score was associated with a reduction in brain aging equivalent to about two and a half years.
Also, those who followed this diet more strictly showed slower ventricular dilation, which translates to approximately a one-year delay in brain aging.
The benefits appeared strongest in older adults, physically active people, and those who were not overweight, suggesting that a combined lifestyle approach may offer the greatest protection.
According to researchers, the foods recommended by this diet can protect the brain by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation.
They explain that foods rich in antioxidants, such as berries, and quality sources of protein, such as chicken, can help limit neuronal damage.
In contrast, fried foods or fast foods, which often contain unhealthy fats, trans fats, and harmful compounds created during processing, can promote inflammation and damage to blood vessels.
However, the study also brought up some unexpected findings.
A higher consumption of whole grains was associated with less favorable changes in several brain markers, including faster decline in gray matter, while higher consumption of cheese was associated with slower decline.
For this reason, researchers say that further long-term research is needed to better understand how specific foods and certain eating patterns affect brain aging.
Even Dr Talaei himself suggested that a longer follow-up of the study would be needed.
On the other hand, Professor Eef Hogervorst, an expert in biological psychology at Loughborough University, said that these results should always be viewed in conjunction with other lifestyle factors.
According to her, to maintain brain health and reduce the risk of dementia, diet alone is not enough, but it is also important to not smoke, exercise physically, and treat problems such as prediabetes and high blood pressure.
Professor Catey Bunce from the Royal Statistical Society also called the findings interesting, but called for caution in interpretation.
She emphasized that, as in many observational studies, the results may show possible associations, but should not be taken as definitive proof that diet directly prevents brain aging.
Michelle Dyson, chief executive of the Alzheimer's Society, welcomed the study and said further research into prevention was vital.
According to her, increasing knowledge about risk factors and encouraging people to quit smoking, be physically active, eat healthily, keep blood pressure under control and consume less alcohol can help reduce the risk of dementia.
Dr Jacqui Hanley from Alzheimer's Research UK said the findings add to growing evidence that a balanced diet, physical activity and other healthy habits can support the brain as it ages.
She added that more long-term studies and in more diverse groups of people are still needed.
Currently, around 900 people in the UK are living with dementia, with this figure expected to exceed 1.6 million by 2040. Dementia remains the leading cause of death, with more than 74 deaths each year. /GazetaExpress/
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