Mediterranean diet improves the human brain - study

A new study has show that, Mediterranean diet can help older adults maintain bigger brains and according to the report released on Wednesday, a Mediterranean diet including fresh vegetables, fruit and the occasional drink could help preserve the volume of the human brain into old age.

Researchers found out that people who followed the diet closely over three years experienced less age-related brain shrinkage than those who did not.

A "traditional" Mediterranean diet - consisting of large amounts of fruits and vegetables, beans and cereal grains, olive oil, a moderate amount of fish, dairy products, and wine, as well as a limited consumption of red meat and poultry - has been shown to improve cardiometabolic health.

Researchers led by Michelle Luciano, Ph.D., from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland - studied the effects of the Mediterranean diet (MeDi) on total brain volume, gray matter volume, and the thickness of the cortex. 

The scientists studied 967 people aged between 73 and 76 years, who lived in Scotland and who had no history of dementia, over a period of 3 years. 

The results showed that those who stick most closely to a Mediterranean diet retained significantly greater brain volume after three years than those with different eating habits.

The 967 participants in the study were asked to complete food questionnaires when they were 70 years old - 3 years prior to collecting data on their brain volume. 

A magnetic resonance imaging brain scan were carried out on 562 of these people at the age of 73, to measure their total brain volume, gray matter volume, and cortical thickness and of these, 401 people had a second brain scan at age 76. 

The participants dietary habits were calculated using a food frequency questionnaire. The brain measurements were compared with how well they adhered to the MeDi during the 3-year period.

Diet accounted for about half the variation in brain volume seen across all the study participants.

"As we age, the brain shrinks and we lose brain cells, which can affect learning and memory," said lead researcher Dr Michelle Luciano.

"This study adds to the body of evidence that suggests the Mediterranean diet has a positive impact on brain health."

Contrary to earlier findings, eating more fish and less meat was not associated with differences between people's brains,

According to Dr Luciano, previous studies carried out measurements in a single "snapshot", while the new research followed participants over time.

"In our study, eating habits were measured before brain volume was, which suggests that the diet may be able to provide long-term protection to the brain. Larger studies are needed to confirm these results."

The findings of the study appear in the journal Neurology.