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Dear Colleagues and Friends,
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Neurodegenerative disease
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Mediterranean Diet Changes Gut Microbiome, Improves Health in Seniors
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Multiple studies have shown an inverse association between good quality diet and onset or deterioration of mental diseases and cognitive function. This study in particular with 7,756 participants found protective associations attributed to vegetable and nut intakes. Additionally, participants who better adhered to the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) showed lower risk of cognitive impairment and higher cognitive function scores. Among the components of the MedDiet, fish was the item with the most consistent evidence suggesting beneficial effect.
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Related to cognitive function, an intervention conducted in high-cardiovascular risk patients assessed whether the MedDiet could exert beneficial effects on gene expression, specifically related to neuroinflammation, which is closely linked with the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. They observed that various signaling pathways associated with neuroinflammation were downregulated due to the modification of the dietary pattern, in this case a MedDiet enriched in either virgin olive oil or nuts. The explanation seems to be the presence of bioactive compounds and metabolites abundant in the MedDiet.
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This recent meta-analysis analyzed the relationship between all-cause mortality and the adherence to the Mediterranean diet. Their conclusions were that all-cause mortality risk was associated with a 10% reduction for every 2-point increment in the MedDiet score. Foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts and fish played a significant role, since they suggest being associated with factors of inflammation and oxidative stress.
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