Medical Bulletin 7/February/2026

The study followed 27,670 middle-aged and older adults for up to 25 years, during which 3,208 participants were diagnosed with dementia. Among individuals without known genetic risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease, those who consumed more than 50 grams of full-fat cheese daily showed a 13%–17% lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. This association was not observed in participants who carried genetic risk variants linked to the disease.

Higher intake of full-fat cream—more than 20 grams per day—was also associated with a 16%–24% lower overall dementia risk. No significant associations were found for low-fat or high-fat milk, fermented or non-fermented milk, or low-fat cream.

These findings challenge longstanding nutritional advice that promotes low-fat dairy for cardiovascular health. Since heart disease and dementia share common risk factors, including hypertension, diabetes, and obesity, researchers have long assumed that low-fat options would also benefit brain health. However, evidence from previous studies has been mixed, with some suggesting neutral or even protective effects of cheese consumption.

The researchers took steps to reduce bias by excluding individuals with dementia at baseline and repeating analyses after removing those diagnosed within the first 10 years. This approach aimed to limit the influence of early, undiagnosed dementia on dietary habits and recall.

Importantly, participants who consumed more full-fat cheese and cream tended to have healthier overall lifestyles. They were generally more educated, less likely to be overweight, and had lower rates of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure—factors independently linked to reduced dementia risk.

Overall, the findings do not support increasing full-fat dairy intake as a strategy to prevent dementia. Instead, they reinforce the importance of overall dietary patterns, moderation, and healthy lifestyles, such as those reflected in Mediterranean-style diets, which consistently show benefits for both heart and brain health.

REFERENCE: Yufeng Du, Yan Borné, Jessica Samuelsson, Isabelle Glans, Xiaobin Hu, Katarina Nägga, Sebastian Palmqvist, Oskar Hansson, Emily Sonestedt. High- and Low-Fat Dairy Consumption and Long-Term Risk of Dementia. Neurology, 2026; 106 (2) DOI: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000214343

Mediterranean Diet Linked to Lower Stroke Risk Among Women, Study Finds

Adherence to a Mediterranean diet is associated with a significantly lower risk of all major types of stroke among women, according to a large long-term study published on February 4, 2026, in Neurology® Open Access, a journal of the American Academy of Neurology. While the findings demonstrate a strong association, researchers caution that the study does not establish a direct causal relationship.

The Mediterranean diet—characterized by high consumption of vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, fish, and healthy fats such as olive oil, along with low intake of red meat, dairy products, and saturated fats—was linked to reduced risks of both ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes. Ischemic stroke, caused by blocked blood flow to the brain, is the most common type, while hemorrhagic stroke results from bleeding in the brain.

The study followed 105,614 women with an average age of 53 years at baseline, all of whom had no prior history of stroke. Participants completed dietary questionnaires and were assigned scores ranging from zero to nine based on how closely they followed the Mediterranean diet. About 30% of participants scored in the highest adherence group, while 13% fell into the lowest category.

Over an average follow-up period of 21 years, 4,083 strokes were recorded, including 3,358 ischemic and 725 hemorrhagic strokes. After adjusting for factors such as smoking, physical activity, and high blood pressure, women with the highest Mediterranean diet scores were found to be 18% less likely to experience any stroke compared with those in the lowest group. The risk reduction was 16% for ischemic stroke and 25% for hemorrhagic stroke.

“These findings add to growing evidence that diet plays a critical role in stroke prevention,” said lead author Sophia S. Wang, PhD, of the City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center. She noted that the association with hemorrhagic stroke is particularly noteworthy, as fewer large studies have examined this outcome.

The researchers acknowledged limitations, including reliance on self-reported dietary data, which may be subject to recall bias. Nonetheless, the results underscore the potential importance of dietary patterns in reducing long-term stroke risk and support further research into the biological mechanisms involved.

REFERENCE: Sherzai, A. Z., et al. (2026) Mediterranean Diet and the Risk of Stroke Subtypes in Women.The California Teachers Study. Neurology® Open Access. DOI: 10.1212/WN9.0000000000000062. https://www.neurology.org/doi/10.1212/WN9.0000000000000062

MRI Study Maps Brain Growth Across the Perinatal Period

The perinatal period, spanning late pregnancy and the first weeks after birth, is a critical phase for brain development. A new neuroimaging study published in Scientific Reports provides one of the most detailed views to date of how the human brain grows during this transition, using continuous prenatal-to-postnatal MRI data.

Brain development during this period involves rapid cell growth, migration, and the formation of neural connections. Most earlier studies examined either fetal or newborn brains separately, leaving a gap in understanding how the brain adapts as it moves from the womb to the outside world. This study aimed to bridge that gap.

Researchers analysed 798 MRI scans from 699 participants using data from the Developing Human Connectome Project. The dataset included both prenatal and neonatal scans, with some individuals scanned before and after birth. Brain volumes were measured between 21 and 45 weeks from conception, allowing researchers to track growth over time and compare patterns between males and females.

The study found that total brain volume increased steadily across the perinatal period, with the fastest growth occurring in late pregnancy. White matter—which supports communication between brain regions—grew rapidly in mid-gestation but made up a smaller proportion of the brain closer to birth. In contrast, gray matter growth accelerated in late pregnancy and early postnatal life, reflecting increasing development of sensory, motor, and cognitive functions.

Subcortical regions such as the thalamus and basal ganglia showed early rapid growth, while the cerebellum exhibited especially fast expansion near birth. The hippocampus grew more slowly, consistent with its role in higher-order functions that mature later in life.

Male infants had larger brain volumes overall, but growth patterns were broadly similar between sexes. Some regional differences were observed, though many appeared linked to overall brain size rather than distinct developmental pathways.

While limited by gaps in late-pregnancy and early-second-trimester data, the study offers a continuous picture of early brain growth. The findings highlight how rapidly key brain structures are established before birth and underscore the value of combining prenatal and postnatal imaging to better understand early neurodevelopment.

REFERENCE: Khan, Y. T., Tsompanidis, A., Radecki, M. A., et al. (2026). Mapping brain growth and sex differences across prenatal to postnatal development. Scientific Reports. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-33981-w. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-33981-w