The study found a strong correlation between following a MIND and Mediterranean diet and the onset of Parkinson’s disease. Although both diets have been linked to neuroprotective effects for Alzheimer’s and depression, this study is the first to look at the MIND diet in a cohort of people with Parkinson’s Disease.
“It is gratifying to see that these diets are beneficial over a number of neurodegenerative diseases, as it shows that these diseases may share common ways that we may be affected by healthy eating,”Lead researcher Avril Metcalfe-Roach told NutraIngredients.
Analyzing diet data from 167 participants with Parkinson’s Disease, the researchers found that adherence to the MIND diet coincided with the onset of the disease – up to 17.4 years for women. In men, the Mediterranean diet has been shown to have the greatest effect, delaying the onset of Parkinson’s Disease by up to 8.4 years.
The DASH Mediterranean Intervention Diet for Delayed Neurodegenerative (MIND) was published in 2015 in an effort to modernize the Mediterranean diet to reduce mental decline. The differences between the two diets are slim: the MIND diet rewards leafy greens, berries and poultry while reducing the consumption of fried foods and sweets. Milk, potatoes and fruit are also thrown away.
The mystery of the differences between the two species
The different effects of adhering to these diets on men and women are notable as about two-thirds of patients with Parkinson’s Disease are men. The reasons why more men are suffering from Parkinson’s Disease are not fully understood, but the researchers said these latest findings “It could be an important part of the puzzle”.
“Since many food groups are familiar with both diets, we can assume that the difference is due to the specific aspects of a MIND diet such as restricting fried foods and sugars. Mediterranean-style diets are thought to work in part by increasing the number of anti-inflammatory microbes in the gut; it’s possible that women deal more strongly with food-related inflammation, which may be better caught with the MIND diet, ” Metcalfe-Roach said.
He said: “Ultimately, however, we don’t know what will make women benefit more from the MIND diet than men. ”
According to the researchers, finding a strong correlation between Parkinson’s Disease onset age and dietary habits suggests that nutrition strategies may be an effective tool to delay the onset of the disease.
“Previous studies involving the elderly have suggested that improving your diet can obviously improve psychology in as little as a few months,” Note Metcalfe-Roach.
Dissolving the gut-brain connection
The researchers also said the results “Send home the link between the gut and the brain for this disease.”.
“Our results are particularly encouraging for this reason, as they suggest that the microbiome may play an active role in the development of disease. Gut microphone changes have been associated with most well-known neurodegenerative diseases, but interestingly, the changes observed in patients with Parkinson’s disease are perhaps the most consistent across all research, ” Metcalfe-Roach said.
Parkinson’s disease is associated with a range of gastrointestinal symptoms that usually occur decades before the disease is diagnosed.
Metcalfe-Roach said that these early gut changes could be crucial in understanding the main causes of Parkinson’s Disease, and that the results of this study suggest that the role of cancer may play an important role. maintaining a healthy gut-brain axis through healthy eating in this process.
The research team plans to further investigate the possible link between the midge and its effect on the brain.
“Mediterranean-style diets are thought to stimulate the growth of some microbes that produce anti-inflammatory molecules, and importantly, these microbes are consistently depleted in people with Parkinson’s disease. Understanding if and how these anti-inflammatory molecules will help prevent Parkinson’s disease will be a key way to understand how Mediterranean-style diets can prevent neurodegeneration, ” Metcalfe-Roach said.
Source: Movement Disorders
Authors: Avril Metcalfe – Roach, Adam C. Yu, Ella Golz, Mihai Cirstea, Kristen Sundvick, Daniel Kliger, Liam H. Foulger, Melissa Mackenzie, B. Brett Finlay, Silke Appel – Cresswell
“MIND and later Onset-related Mediterranean diets of Parkinson’s disease”
https://doi.org/10.1002/mds.28464