Mediterranean diet may prevent memory loss and dementia, study finds - CNN

Meals inspired by traditional foods from the sunny Mediterranean, a new study found, may lower your risk for dementia by interfering with the buildup of two proteins, amyloid and tau, into the plaques and tangles that are hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease.

"The mountain of evidence continues to build that you are what you eat when it comes to brain health," said Dr.

After adjusting for factors like age, sex and education, the study found that people who did not follow the diet closely had more signs of amyloid and tau buildup in their spinal fluid than those who did adhere to the diet.

In addition, for each point a person lost on failing to follow the Mediterranean diet, brain scans revealed one additional year of brain aging in areas associated Alzheimer's, such as the hippocampus.

"These results add to the body of evidence that show what you eat may influence your memory skills later on," said study author Tommaso Ballarini, a postdoctoral fellow at the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases in Bonn, Germany, in a statement.

"One unanswered question remains: Why exactly does the Mediterranean diet protect against Alzheimer's?" said Isaacson, who is also a trustee of the McKnight Brain Research Foundation.

While further studies are needed, it's likely that a combination of factors are working "synergistically together," he added, "such as reducing inflammation, increasing protective antioxidants, and supplying the brain with brain-healthy fats from fish high in omega-3s -- like wild salmon -- as well as monounsaturated fats from extra-virgin olive oil."

A growing connection

This isn't the first research to find a link between brain health and the Mediterranean diet or one of its plant-based cousins.

A study of nearly 6,000 healthy older Americans with an average age of 68 found those who followed the Mediterranean or the similar MIND diet lowered their risk of dementia by a third.

Short for Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay, MIND focuses on eating at least six servings a week of green leafy vegetables such as spinach or kale, and at least one serving a day of another vegetable.

"Eating a healthy plant-based diet is associated with better cognitive function and around 30% to 35% lower risk of cognitive impairment during aging," lead author Claire McEvoy, assistant professor at Queen's University Belfast, told CNN when the study published.

"In this study, while the Mediterranean diet overall decreased risk, the strongest factor to really move the needle was regular fish consumption," Isaacson said.

The more people stayed on those diets, McEvoy said, the better they functioned cognitively.

These study participants were 18% less likely to exhibit signs of cognitive impairment.

How to start the Mediterranean diet

Want to jump on the Mediterranean diet bandwagon and protect your brain as well as your eyes?

Experts say the easiest way to start is to replace one thing at a time.