Seabrook Jamie A, Avan Abolfazl, O'Connor Colleen, Prapavessis Harry, Nagamatsu Lindsay, Twynstra Jasna, Stranges Saverio, MacDougall Arlene, Hachinski Vladimir
Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Western University, London, ON N6G 2M1, Canada.
Department of Paediatrics, Western University, London, ON N6A 5W9, Canada.
Nutrients. 2025 Apr 24;17(9):1436. doi: 10.3390/nu17091436.
Diet has a profound impact on brain health, particularly in middle-aged and older adults, who are at increased risk of cognitive decline and neurodegenerative diseases. Various dietary patterns, including the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet), Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH), and Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) diets, have been linked to improved cognitive function. While the relative effectiveness of these diets on brain health is generally supported by evidence, variability in study results suggests that further research is needed to fully understand their effects across diverse populations. The objective of this descriptive narrative review is to examine the role of dietary patterns in supporting brain health in aging populations and to propose practical dietary strategies for promoting cognitive well-being. A comprehensive review of the existing literature was conducted on PubMed in October 2024, with no restrictions on language, publication date (1966-2024), or geographic location. A total of 18 articles were included in this review, covering the years 2013-2023. Studies assessing the impact of the MedDiet, DASH, MIND, and Western diets on cognitive function in middle-aged and older adults were prioritized. The research findings were synthesized to identify common and unique recommendations across these dietary patterns. The MedDiet consistently showed beneficial effects on cognitive health, including improved memory, processing speed, and long-term protection against neurodegenerative conditions. The DASH and MIND diets demonstrated potential benefits, particularly for specific cognitive domains, but the results were more mixed and inconclusive. In contrast, adherence to a Western diet was associated with negative cognitive outcomes, including cognitive decline and smaller brain volumes. These findings underscore the importance of adopting healthy dietary patterns as a modifiable lifestyle factor to support cognitive aging and inform future public health strategies and clinical guidelines.
饮食对大脑健康有着深远影响，尤其是对中年及老年人群，他们认知能力下降和患神经退行性疾病的风险更高。多种饮食模式，包括地中海饮食（MedDiet）、终止高血压饮食方法（DASH）以及延缓神经退行性疾病的地中海-DASH干预（MIND）饮食，都与认知功能改善有关。虽然这些饮食模式对大脑健康的相对有效性总体上有证据支持，但研究结果的差异表明，需要进一步研究以全面了解它们在不同人群中的作用。本描述性叙述性综述的目的是研究饮食模式在支持老年人群大脑健康方面的作用，并提出促进认知健康的实用饮食策略。2024年10月在PubMed上对现有文献进行了全面综述，对语言、出版日期（1966 - 2024年）或地理位置均无限制。本综述共纳入18篇文章，涵盖2013 - 2023年。优先考虑评估MedDiet、DASH、MIND和西方饮食对中年及老年人群认知功能影响的研究。综合研究结果以确定这些饮食模式中的共同和独特建议。MedDiet始终显示出对认知健康的有益影响，包括改善记忆力、处理速度以及对神经退行性疾病的长期保护。DASH和MIND饮食显示出潜在益处，特别是对特定认知领域，但结果更为复杂且尚无定论。相比之下，遵循西方饮食与负面认知结果相关，包括认知能力下降和脑容量减小。这些发现强调了采用健康饮食模式作为可改变的生活方式因素以支持认知衰老的重要性，并为未来的公共卫生策略和临床指南提供参考。
