Aging takes a toll on the body and on the mind. For example, the tissue of aging human brains sometimes develops abnormal clumps of proteins that are the hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease. How can you protect your brain from these effects?
Researchers at Rush University Medical Center have found that older adults may benefit from a specific diet called the MIND diet even when they develop these protein deposits, known as amyloid plaques and tangles. Plaques and tangles are a pathology found in the brain that builds up in between nerve cells and typically interferes with thinking and problem-solving skills.
Developed by the late Martha Clare Morris, ScD, who was a Rush nutritional epidemiologist, and her colleagues, the MIND diet is a hybrid of the Mediterranean and DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diets. Previous research studies have found that the MIND diet may reduce a person’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease dementia.
Now a study has shown that participants in the study who followed the MIND diet moderately later in life had reduced cognition problems, according to a paper published on Sept. 14 in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. Some have the ability to maintain cognitive function despite the accumulation of these pathologies in the brain, and our study suggests that the MIND diet is associated with better cognitive functions independently of brain pathologies related to Alzheimer’s disease.
“Some people have enough plaques and tangles in their brainsto have a postmortem diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, but theydo not develop clinical dementia in their lifetime.”
Klodian Dhana, MD, PhD, Study Lead Author and assistant professor, Division of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Rush Medical College
Based on the frequency of intake reported for the healthy and unhealthy food groups, the researchers calculated the MIND diet score for each participant across the study period. An average of the MIND diet score from the start of the study until the participant’s death was used in the analysis to limit measurement error. Seven sensitivity measures were calculated to confirm the accuracy of the findings.
“We found that a higher MIND diet score was associated with better memory and thinking skills independently of Alzheimer’sdisease pathology and other common age-related brainpathologies. The diet seemed to have a protective capacity andmay contribute to cognitive resilience in the elderly.”
Klodian Dhana, MD, PhD, Study Lead Author and assistant professor, Division of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Rush Medical College