PEOPLE WHO CONSUMED FOODS FROM the plant-based Mediterranean and MIND diets had fewer brain tangles associated with Alzheimer’s disease. That is the finding of an autopsy series. Today we examine how two diets reduce brain plaques and tangles linked to Alzheimer’s.
You may have heard about the Mediterranean diet, but what about the MIND diet? MIND is short for Mediterranean-DASH Diet Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay.
Follow one of these diets and prevent tangles and plaques from forming in your brain.
“One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.”
― Virginia Woolf, A Room of One’s Own
Alzheimer’s disease basics
Alzheimer’s is a progressive and degenerative brain disorder affecting memory, thinking, and behavior. It is the most common cause of dementia, a group of symptoms that affect cognitive function and interfere with daily life activities.
The exact cause of Alzheimer’s disease is not yet fully understood, but it is believed to result from a combination of genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors.
The disease is characterized by the accumulation of abnormal protein deposits in the brain, including beta-amyloid and tau proteins, which can cause damage to brain cells and disrupt neural communication.
The symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease typically begin with mild memory loss and progress over time to more severe cognitive impairment, including confusion, difficulty with language, disorientation, mood changes, and behavioral changes.
These symptoms can make it increasingly difficult for affected individuals to carry out daily tasks and maintain independence.
Currently, there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, and available treatments primarily aim to manage symptoms and improve quality of life. Early diagnosis and treatment can help slow the progression of the disease and improve outcomes for affected individuals and their families.
What Is Dementia?
Dementia is a general term for loss of memory, language, problem-solving, and other thinking abilities that are severe…www.alz.org
Diet and Alzheimer’s
First, let’s get right to the new study findings reported online this week in Neurology:
Individuals who ate diets rich in green leafy vegetables (and other vegetables, fruits, whole grains, olive oil, beans, nuts, and fish) had fewer amyloid plaques and tau tangles in their brain — signs of Alzheimer’s disease — than those who do not consume such diets.
The study included 581 people with an average age of 84 during diet assessment. All agreed to donate their brains at death to advance dementia research. The subjects completed annual questionnaires inquiring about consuming food items in various categories.
The study subjects died an average of seven years after the study started. Just before death, nearly four out of ten participants had been diagnosed with dementia. When examined after death, two out of three met the criteria for Alzheimer’s disease.
At autopsy, scientists examined subjects’ brains to see the amounts of tau tangles and amyloid plaques. Both are in the brains of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease (but may also be in the brains of older people with normal cognition).
The study authors then looked back at the food questionnaires collected during follow-up and ranked the diet quality for each person.
Autopsies showed that those who followed the Mediterranean or a MIND diet had about a 40 percent relative risk reduction in having brain tissue plaques and tangles.
The Mediterranean diet suggests consuming fruits, vegetables, and at least three servings of fish weekly.
The MIND diet prioritizes green leafy vegetables (for example, spinach, kale, collard greens, and others). The MIND diet also prioritizes berries and recommends one or more servings of fish weekly. Both the MIND and Mediterranean diets suggest one consumes small amounts of wine.
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/mind-diet
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/mediterranean-diet-meal-plan
My take — Diet and Alzheimer’s
While this study shows an association between regularly consuming such diets with fewer Alzheimer’s disease plaques and tangles, it does not establish a cause-and-effect relationship.
When looking at single diet components, those who ate the greatest volume of green leafy vegetables (at least seven servings weekly) had brain plaque amounts corresponding to being almost 19 years younger than those who ate the fewest, with one or fewer servings per week.
I know what I am having for dinner (I guess mom was right — eat your vegetables). I don’t love green leafy vegetables, but I know I can get seven servings weekly. Hopefully, the drop in brain tangles and plaques will be associated with a lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
I will end with the words of a study author, Puja Agarwal, Ph.D., of RUSH University in Chicago (USA):
“While our research does not prove that a healthy diet led to fewer brain deposits of amyloid plaques — an Alzheimer’s disease indicator — we know there is a link. Following the MIND or Mediterranean diets may be a way that individuals can improve their brain health and protect cognition as they age.”
The National Institutes of Health funded the study.
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The information I provided in this blog is for educational purposes only and does not substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult a medical professional or healthcare provider for medical advice, diagnoses, or treatment. I am not liable for risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information in this blog.
Thank you for reading “Diet and Alzheimer’s.”
