Mediterranean diet to reduce the risk of cognitive decline in older people

Generally, the older population has a particular diet due to aging difficulties faced by them. Old people who follow a Mediterranean diet are at a lower risk of cognitive decline, according to a study published in the journal Molecular Nutrition and Food Research. The study provides new evidence for a better understanding of the biological mechanisms related to the impact of diet on cognitive health in the aging population.

"A Healthy Diet for a Healthy Life" (JPI HDHL) was carried out over twelve years and it involved 840 people over 65 years of age (65% of whom were women) in the Bourdeaux and Dijon regions of France.

In the study, baseline levels of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, gut microbiota-derived polyphenol metabolites and other phytochemicals in serum that reflect individual bioavailability were chosen as biomarkers. Some of these indicators have not only been recognized as marks of exposure to the main food groups of the Mediterranean diet but have also been held responsible for the health benefits of the Mediterranean dietary pattern.

The metabolome or set of metabolites -- related to food and derived from gut microbiota activity -- was studied through a large-scale quantitative metabolomic analysis from the serum of the participants without dementia, from the beginning of the study. Cognitive impairment was assessed by five neuropsychological tests over twelve years.

As a result, the study reveals a protective association between the score of the Mediterranean diet based on serum biomarkers and cognitive decline in older people.

Reference: Alba Tor‐Roca, Alex Sánchez‐Pla, Aniko Korosi, Mercè Pallàs, Paul J. Lucassen, Pol Castellano‐Escuder, Ludwig Aigner, Raúl González‐Domínguez, Claudine Manach, Francisco Carmona, Esteban Vegas, Catherine Helmer, Catherine Feart, Sophie Lefèvre‐Arbogast, Jeanne Neuffer, Hyunah Lee, Sandrine Thuret, Cristina Andres‐Lacueva, Cécilia Samieri, Mireia Urpi‐Sarda. A Mediterranean Diet‐Based Metabolomic Score and Cognitive Decline in Older Adults: A Case–Control Analysis Nested within the Three‐City Cohort Study. Molecular Nutrition & Food Research, 2023; DOI: 10.1002/mnfr.202300271