- A new study showed that a Mediterranean or MIND diet resulted in better cognitive health for females.
- The study of 509 twins found that those following these diets better preserved episodic and visuospatial working memory after 10 years.
- The possible mechanisms by which the diets are helping preserve cognitive health are specific gut bacteria and short-chain fatty acids.
A new study analyzing data from middle-aged females investigates the potential benefits of a Mediterranean or a MIND diet on cognitive health.
The research included genetically identical (monozygotic) twins and fraternal (dizygotic) twins.
The study finds that among monozygotic twin pairs, the twin with a higher adherence to either the Mediterranean or MIND diet retained slightly stronger episodic and visuospatial working memory.
This observation was significant for twins with a greater adherence to the Mediterraneandiet.
Monozygotic twins both develop from a single egg, or “ovum.” Fraternal, or “dizygotic,” twins are born together but do not come from the same egg. They are sometimes referred to as co-twins or birth partners. Monozygotic twins are genetically identical. Dizygotic twins share roughly 50% of their genes.
In this study, the researchers analyzed data from 509 female twins who had enrolled with the UK Adult Twin Registry between 1992 and 2004. Of this group, 34% were monozygotic, and 66% were dizygotic.
The study cohort included healthy twins with a complete set of baseline data regarding diet — via questionnaires — and cognitive performance. Approximately 10 years later, between 2008 and 2010, twins took new cognitive tests, and participants’ fecal samples were analyzed.
A higher adherence to the MIND diet at baseline was associated with a greater abundance of the bacteria Ruminococcaceae and short-chain fatty acids at follow-up.
However, this association was not significant after adjusting for dietary fiber intake.
The study is published in the journal
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