Diet that slows brain aging
A hybrid MIND diet — blending Mediterranean with blood-pressure–lowering elements — was reported to slow structural brain ageing by the equivalent of over two years, highlighting berries, nuts and poultry as protective foods. The finding surfaced in coverage this week tying diet patterns to measurable reductions in brain deterioration (bmjgroup.com).
The analysis used 1,647 participants from the Framingham Heart Study Offspring cohort (average age ~60 at baseline) who completed food-frequency questionnaires in the 1991–2001 exams and had brain MRIs between 1999 and 2019 with a median of three scans per person. (jnnp.bmj.com ) Each three‑point higher MIND diet score was associated with a 0.279 cm³/year slower decline in total grey matter (95% CI 0.089 to 0.469), corresponding to a 20.1% attenuation in age‑related change over a median 12.3‑year follow‑up (reported as roughly equivalent to 2.5 years of reduced brain ageing). (jnnp.bmj.com ) Higher MIND scores also tracked with smaller increases in lateral ventricular volume (−0.071 cm³/year, 95% CI −0.125 to −0.017) and in the left lateral ventricle (−0.041 cm³/year, 95% CI −0.070 to −0.013), amounts the authors say reflect about 8.0–8.8% attenuation of age‑related change (roughly a one‑year delay by their calculation). (jnnp.bmj.com ) The MIND pattern evaluated emphasizes regular intake of green leafy vegetables, other vegetables, berries, nuts, whole grains, fish, beans, olive oil and poultry, with moderate wine and limits on butter, cheese, red meat, pastries and fried foods; study participants averaged just under 7 points out of a possible 15 on the MIND score and those in the top adherence tertile were more often women, college‑educated, and less likely to smoke or be obese. (bmjgroup.com ) The paper is a prospective observational analysis published online March 11, 2026, led by Hui Chen with correspondence to Professor Changzheng Yuan, and the authors note the data are from Framingham and can be requested via the NHLBI BioLINCC repository rather than being publicly posted with the article. (jnnp.bmj.com )
