MIND Diet Linked to Slower Brain Decline, Study Finds
Greater adherence to the MIND diet—a dietary pattern emphasizing berries, leafy greens, nuts, and poultry—is linked to slower rates of brain atrophy and reduced expansion of brain ventricles, according to research published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry. The findings, stemming from a long-term study of over 1,600 individuals, suggest a potential role for diet in supporting brain health as we age, though researchers emphasize that this is observational data and doesn’t prove a cause-and-effect relationship.
Dietary Patterns and Brain Structure
The Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) diet combines elements of the Mediterranean diet and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet. It’s designed to prioritize foods believed to benefit brain health. Researchers, led by Hui Chen, PhD, of Zhejiang University in China, analyzed data from the Framingham Heart Study Offspring cohort, tracking participants’ dietary habits and brain structure over a median of 12.3 years using MRI scans. The study included 1,647 middle-aged and older adults (average age 60.9, with 54.3% women).
“For clinicians, I think the main implication is that diet should be considered part of the broader conversation about healthy brain aging, alongside vascular risk factor control, physical activity and other lifestyle factors,” Chen told Healio. “Our findings do not prove causation because this was an observational study, but they add to the evidence that a healthy dietary pattern such as the MIND diet may be relevant to preserving brain structure over time.”
Participants were assigned a MIND diet score based on their intake of 15 food groups, ranging from 0 to 15, with higher scores indicating greater adherence to the diet. The food groups included leafy green vegetables, other vegetables, nuts, berries, beans, whole grains, fish, poultry, olive oil, red meat, butter/margarine, cheese, pastries and sweets, fast fried foods, and wine. Most participants (95%) had dietary data from at least two questionnaires, and 77% had data from all three assessments conducted between 1991 and 2001.
Key Findings: Grey Matter and Ventricular Volume
The median MIND diet score in the study population was 6.8. Researchers found that for every three-point increase in the MIND diet score, the rate of decline in total grey matter volume decreased by 0.279 cm3/year (P = .004, after correcting for false discovery rate). This corresponds to a roughly 20.1% slowing of age-related grey matter loss, equivalent to 2.5 years of reduced brain aging over the study period. Grey matter is crucial for functions like memory, learning, and decision-making.
Similarly, higher MIND diet scores were associated with slower expansion of lateral ventricular volume—the fluid-filled spaces within the brain. An increase of three points on the MIND diet score was linked to a reduction in ventricular expansion of 0.071 cm3/year (FDR-corrected P = .043). This slower expansion represented an 8% attenuation of age-related changes, roughly equivalent to one year of reduced brain aging during the follow-up period. The effect was most pronounced for the left lateral ventricle.
Food Group Contributions and Unexpected Results
The study identified berries and poultry as the primary contributors to the beneficial associations observed. Interestingly, the researchers also noted some unexpected findings. Even as the MIND diet recommends limiting certain foods, higher cheese intake was associated with favorable changes in brain structure, including grey matter and hippocampal volume. Whole grains, typically considered healthy, showed a link to unfavorable brain structural changes, a result Chen described as “unexpected.”
“Cheese, which is a food the MIND diet recommends limiting, showed associations in a direction that was somewhat surprising,” Chen said. “We would interpret those individual food findings cautiously because the main message of the study is about the overall dietary pattern rather than any single food item in isolation.”
Subgroup Analysis: Age, Activity, and BMI
The benefits of the MIND diet appeared to be more pronounced in certain subgroups. Participants aged 60 years or older experienced stronger associations between MIND diet scores and favorable brain structural changes compared to younger participants. Similarly, individuals with higher levels of physical activity and those with a body mass index (BMI) under 25 kg/m2 showed greater benefits. These findings suggest that the MIND diet may be particularly effective when combined with other healthy lifestyle factors.
What This Means: Observational Data and Future Research
It’s key to remember that this study is observational, meaning it cannot prove that the MIND diet directly causes slower brain aging. It’s possible that other factors, such as genetics or overall lifestyle, could explain the observed associations. However, the findings add to a growing body of evidence suggesting that dietary patterns can play a role in brain health. Previous research has linked the MIND diet to a lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
Researchers emphasize the need for further studies, including long-term intervention trials, to confirm these findings and elucidate the underlying mechanisms. Future research should also explore whether the associations hold true across more diverse populations. Understanding the biological pathways involved could help refine dietary recommendations for brain health.
Ongoing Research and Public Health Implications
The study’s findings underscore the importance of considering diet as part of a comprehensive approach to healthy brain aging. While more research is needed, adopting a dietary pattern like the MIND diet—rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts, and lean protein—may be a proactive step individuals can take to support their cognitive health. Public health initiatives could focus on promoting awareness of the MIND diet and providing resources to help people incorporate its principles into their daily lives.
As Chen noted, future studies should focus on clarifying causality and mechanisms. “In particular, intervention studies and longer-term trials will be important to determine whether improving adherence to the MIND diet can directly slow neurodegenerative changes or cognitive decline.”
Hui Chen, PhD, can be reached at [email protected].