A new study from UBC researchers suggests a strong correlation between following a MIND and Mediterranean diet and a later onset of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Although researchers have long known about the neuroprotective effects of the MIND diet for diseases such as Alzheimer’s and depression, this study is the first to suggest a link between this diet and health. brain for Parkinson’s disease (PD).
The MIND diet combines aspects of two popular diets, the Mediterranean diet and the Methods to Stop Hip Tolerance (DASH) diet.
“The study shows that people with Parkinson’s have a much later age if their eating pattern is closely in line with the Mediterranean type diet. The difference revealed in the study was up to 17 years later in women and eight years later in men, ”said Dr. Silke Appel-Cresswell of the Pacific Parkinson Research Center, the Djavad Mowafaghian Center for Brain Health and the Department of Neurology at UBC’s Faculty of Science. “There is a lack of medication to prevent or delay Parkinson’s disease but we are hopeful that this new evidence shows that nutrition may delay the onset of the disease.”
In a study of 176 participants, researchers looked at adhering to these types of diets, characterized by reduced meat and a focus on vegetables, fruits, whole grains and healthy fats, and the onset of PD age . They found that close adherence to these diets coincided with the onset of PD in women up to 17.4 years, and 8.4 years in men. The MIND diet showed a greater impact on women’s health, but the Mediterranean diet did for men. The differences in these two diets are slim, but they could be indications for the potential impact of certain foods and micronutrients on brain health.
The different effects of maintaining a gender-based diet are evident as approximately 60 percent of those diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease are men.
“Understanding the gender differences between the MIND diet and the Mediterranean diet may give us a better understanding of the gender differences that drive Parkinson’s disease in the first place. , ”said lead researcher Avril Metcalfe-Roach, a PhD student at UBC’s Michael Smith Laboratories.
These findings lead to other research questions that may have a significant impact on PD understanding.
“It drives home the connection between the gut and the brain for this disease,” says Dr. Brett Finlay, a professor in the fields of biochemistry and molecular biology, and microbiology and immunology. experience at UBC. “It also shows that not just one disease can affect healthy eating, but a number of these mental illnesses.”
The research team plans to further investigate the possible link between the midge and its effect on the brain.
“There are so many benefits to healthy eating,” says Metcalfe-Roach. “It’s in everyone’s best interests to try and keep your midges healthy, to try to eat a rich variety of plant-based foods and other healthy foods. This study provides even more evidence for what we already know – that we should try to eat healthily and take care of ourselves. “
Source:
University of British Columbia
Magazine Reference:
Metcalfe – Roach, A., et al. (2021) MIND and Later Onset-Related Mediterranean Diets of Parkinson’s Disease. Movement Disorders. doi.org/10.1002/mds.28464.