Source: http://www.everydayhealth.com/alzheimers-disease/the-mediterranean-diet-may-boost-brain-power.aspx

The Mediterranean diet is good for your heart, and according to a new study, may help ward off dementia as well.

MONDAY, May 20, 2013 —The Mediterranean diet, renowned for its heart-health effects, may also give a brain boost to the elderly, according to a study published today in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry.

The Mediterranean diet is characterized by the use of virgin olive oil as the main fat, and advises heavy consumption of nuts, fruits and vegetables. It also recommends moderate consumption of fish and seafood and low consumption of dairy and red meat.

Researchers from the University of Navarra in Spain looked at 522 men and women between the ages of 55 and 80 who were at risk of heart disease. The study participants were randomly assigned to either the Mediterranean diet with added olive oil or mixed nuts, or to the traditional low-fat diet recommended to prevent heart attack and stroke.

Study participants followed the diet for an average of 6.5 years, according to the study, and were checked quarterly to ensure that they were adhering to it. At the end of the study, that those on the Mediterranean diet performed better on cognitive tests than those on the traditional low-fat diet.

“Our trial suggests that nutritional intervention with MedDiet supplemented with either EVOO or nuts is associated with improved global cognition,” the researchers, led by Miguel A. Martinez-Gonzalez, a researcher in the Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health at the University of Navarra, wrote in the study. “Our findings support increasing evidence on the protective effects of the MedDiet on cognitive function.”

In addition, those on the Mediterranean diet were less likely to develop mild cognitive impairment or dementia, according to the study.

However, while the results are promising, the results showed only a small one-point difference in the scores of those who were on the Mediterranean diet and those who were on the traditional low-fat diet, said Mary Sano, PhD, director of Alzheimer’s Disease Research at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. The test is scored out of 30, and while the benefit is there, she said, it may be too small to actively recommend the Mediterranean diet.

”It may be difficult to motivate diet compliance for such a small effect,” she said. “Nevertheless, this, combined with other positive findings, supports the use of this specific diet to maintain health.”

But Christopher Ochner, PhD, director of research development & administration at the Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center, said that the benefit seen in the study indicates that it should be recommended to elderly patients.

“This study used a low-fat diet as its comparison group, which itself has some neuroprotective effects,” he said. “That means that the Mediterranean diet was not just better than a regular diet but better than another brain-healthy diet.”

Researchers did not attribute the brain-boosting benefit to any specific aspect of the diet, but Ochner said the various fats that are found in the olive oils and nuts that are common to the diet have been linked to increased brain function before – although the effect is more pronounced in the Mediterranean diet.

“The diet appears to be superior over just antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids alone, so it likely combines several neuroprotective elements,” he said. “Much like exhaust from a car damages the ozone, elements in the Mediterranean diet act like a muffler and neutralizes the free radicals so they cause less damage to the brain.”

The benefits of the Mediterranean diet are well-documented, said Bonnie Taub-Dix, MA,RDN, Everyday Health Blogger and author of the book “Read it Before You Eat It,” so it comes as no surprise that the benefits of the diet extend to your brain.

“What helps the heart helps the brain,” she said. “What this is showing is that when you eat foods that are anti-inflammatory and filled with antioxidants, they help keep your blood flowing and help your brain.”

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Source: http://www.everydayhealth.com/alzheimers-disease/the-mediterranean-diet-may-boost-brain-power.aspx