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DASH and Mediterranean-Type Dietary Patterns to Maintain Cognitive Health

  • Dietary Patterns and Behavior (LM Steffen, Section Editor)
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Abstract

There is growing consensus that as the U.S. population ages, nearly a third will experience stroke, dementia, or even both. Thus, interest in the role that diet may play in preserving cognitive abilities continues to grow, especially in absence of truly effective treatments for dementia, of which Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form. The purpose of this review is to examine whether two a priori dietary patterns influence the rate of cognitive decline or the onset of dementia. Evidence from neuropathology reports of those who have died with AD or with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or without cognitive impairment suggests that often the pathological hallmarks of AD—amyloid deposition and presence of tangles—are present along with vascular lesions. Hypertension and stroke are strongly associated with incident dementia. Thus, it is possible that lifestyle approaches designed to prevent or reduce cardiovascular risk factors, conditions, or diseases also may provide added benefits for brain health.

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Notes

  1. Accordance should be used to evaluate how closely one’s diet approximates the Mediterranean diet pyramid in populations that have not received formal education on this diet pattern, though many living in this region might argue this. In those who have received formal education of what is to be eaten, the better term is ‘adherence’.

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Acknowledgments

The author thanks her colleagues, Dr. Martha C. Morris, Hong Li, Dr. Denis A. Evans, Dr. Julie Schneider, and Dr. David Bennett for all their helpful discussions and expertise. Moreover, my gratitude goes to all the participants of the CHAP and MAP cohorts for their time and effort.

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Christy C. Tangney declares that she has no conflict of interest.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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  1. Department of Clinical Nutrition, Rush University Medical Center, 1700 W Van Buren St Suite 425 TOB, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA

    Christy C. Tangney

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Correspondence to Christy C. Tangney.

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Tangney, C.C. DASH and Mediterranean-Type Dietary Patterns to Maintain Cognitive Health. Curr Nutr Rep 3, 51–61 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13668-013-0070-2

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