Mediterranean Diet Promotes Brain Health

The Mediterranean diet is rich in vegetables, fruits, fish, olive oil, whole grains and nuts. Research suggests that the Mediterranean diet can prevent heart disease, cancer, obesity, osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis. Studies have also found that the Mediterranean diet may be associated with a longer life. Now research reports that the Mediterranean diet may also promote brain health and prevent the risk of dementia. Dementia is a progressive decline in cognitive function that causes memory loss and confusion. The study was funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health.

The Study

The study, to be presented at the April 10-17, 2010 annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology in Toronto, investigated the association of the Mediterranean diet and brain health. Researchers at Columbia University Medical Center in New York analyzed the data of 712 adults (65 years and older) participating in the Washington Heights-Inwood Columbia Aging Project. MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) brain scans and dietary questionnaires were obtained from the participants. The participants were divided into three groups based on their adherence to the Mediterranean diet.

The Results

The researchers found that participants with the highest adherence to a Mediterranean diet lowered their risk of brain infarcts or brain damage by about 36 percent, compared to those least following the diet. A brain infarct is a small stroke that damages an area of the brain. Findings also revealed that those who moderately adhered to a Mediterranean diet lowered their risk by 21 percent.

The Main Point:

"The relationship between this type of brain damage and the Mediterranean diet was comparable with that of high blood pressure," says study author Nikolaos Scarmeas, MD, MSc, of Columbia University Medical Center in New York, in a news release. "In this study, not eating a Mediterranean-like diet had about the same effect on the brain as having high blood pressure."

This study is significant because it suggests that consuming a Mediterranean diet may promote brain health and memory. The researchers suggest that this benefit may be explained by fewer brain infarcts.

Sources

Seroka, Rachel. Mediterranean diet may lower risk of brain damage that causes thinking problems. February 8, 2010. Eurekalert.org

Gavalas, Elaine. Secrets of Fat-Free Greek Cooking. Penguin Putnam Avery. elainegavalas.com.