PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The effectiveness of the Mediterranean diet in reducing the prevalence of cardiovascular and chronic diseases has been largely evidenced. Although nutrition constitutes an interesting approach in preventing age-related brain disorders, the association between the Mediterranean-style diet and cognitive functions has been very occasionally explored. RECENT FINDINGS: Results are provided from only two recent prospective cohorts of older Americans and French individuals (> or =65 years) on the relationship of Mediterranean diet to cognitive functions. A high adherence to the Mediterranean diet has been associated with slower cognitive decline, with reduced risk of mild cognitive impairment conversion to Alzheimer's disease and with reduced risk of Alzheimer's disease. SUMMARY: The possibility that the Mediterranean diet may affect not only the risk for Alzheimer's disease, but also the evolution of cognitive performances a long time before the clinical diagnosis of dementia and subsequent disease course constitutes major promising results. Replication of these results in other populations seems necessary to allow their generalization and to propose the Mediterranean diet as a potential preventive approach against cognitive decline or dementia in addition to its expected benefits against many other unfavorable outcomes in a public health perspective.
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The effectiveness of the Mediterranean diet in reducing the prevalence of cardiovascular and chronic diseases has been largely evidenced. Although nutrition constitutes an interesting approach in preventing age-related brain disorders, the association between the Mediterranean-style diet and cognitive functions has been very occasionally explored. RECENT FINDINGS: Results are provided from only two recent prospective cohorts of older Americans and French individuals (> or =65 years) on the relationship of Mediterranean diet to cognitive functions. A high adherence to the Mediterranean diet has been associated with slower cognitive decline, with reduced risk of mild cognitive impairment conversion to Alzheimer's disease and with reduced risk of Alzheimer's disease. SUMMARY: The possibility that the Mediterranean diet may affect not only the risk for Alzheimer's disease, but also the evolution of cognitive performances a long time before the clinical diagnosis of dementia and subsequent disease course constitutes major promising results. Replication of these results in other populations seems necessary to allow their generalization and to propose the Mediterranean diet as a potential preventive approach against cognitive decline or dementia in addition to its expected benefits against many other unfavorable outcomes in a public health perspective.
Authors: A Lobo; L J Launer; L Fratiglioni; K Andersen; A Di Carlo; M M Breteler; J R Copeland; J F Dartigues; C Jagger; J Martinez-Lage; H Soininen; A Hofman Journal: Neurology Date: 2000 Impact factor: 9.910
Authors: Marcella E Rumawas; Johanna T Dwyer; Nicola M McKeown; James B Meigs; Gail Rogers; Paul F Jacques Journal: J Nutr Date: 2009-04-08 Impact factor: 4.798
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Authors: Nikolaos Scarmeas; Jose A Luchsinger; Nicole Schupf; Adam M Brickman; Stephanie Cosentino; Ming X Tang; Yaakov Stern Journal: JAMA Date: 2009-08-12 Impact factor: 56.272
Authors: Demosthenes B Panagiotakos; Konstantina Dimakopoulou; Klea Katsouyanni; Tom Bellander; Maria Grau; Wolfgang Koenig; Timo Lanki; Riccardo Pistelli; Alexandra Schneider; Annette Peters Journal: Int J Epidemiol Date: 2009-02-24 Impact factor: 7.196
Authors: May A Beydoun; Alyssa A Gamaldo; Hind A Beydoun; Toshiko Tanaka; Katherine L Tucker; Sameera A Talegawkar; Luigi Ferrucci; Alan B Zonderman Journal: J Nutr Date: 2014-04-17 Impact factor: 4.798