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Assessment of Age-related Changes in Cognitive Functions Using EmoCogMeter, a Novel Tablet-computer Based Approach

Assessment of Age-related Changes in Cognitive Functions Using EmoCogMeter, a Novel Tablet-computer Based Approach

Published on: February 14, 2014

Mediterranean diet and cognitive function in older age.

Cécilia Samieri¹, Francine Grodstein, Bernard A Rosner

¹Department of Medicine, Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA. cecilia.samieri@channing.harvard.edu

Epidemiology (Cambridge, Mass.)

|May 17, 2013

Summary

The Mediterranean diet did not significantly impact cognitive decline in older women. However, a higher ratio of monounsaturated-to-saturated fats and whole grain intake showed potential benefits for cognitive function.

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Area of Science:

Gerontology
Nutritional Science
Cognitive Neuroscience

Background:

The Mediterranean diet is hypothesized to protect against age-related cognitive decline.
Existing research on this association is limited, particularly in large cohorts of older women.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the association between adherence to the Mediterranean diet and cognitive function and decline in older women.
To explore the impact of individual Mediterranean diet components on cognitive trajectories.

Main Methods:

A cohort of 6174 women aged 65+ years from the Women's Health Study was analyzed.
Dietary information was collected in 1998, followed by cognitive assessments at baseline and two 2-year intervals.
An Alternate Mediterranean Diet score was calculated, alongside analyses of specific dietary components like monounsaturated-to-saturated fats ratio and whole grains.

Main Results:

Overall adherence to the Mediterranean diet was not associated with global cognition or verbal memory trajectories.
A higher monounsaturated-to-saturated fats ratio was linked to more favorable cognitive trajectories for both global cognition and verbal memory.
Greater whole grain intake was associated with better averaged global cognition, but not cognitive trajectories.

Conclusions:

The Mediterranean diet as a whole did not demonstrate a protective effect against cognitive decline in this cohort of older women.
Specific components, including the monounsaturated-to-saturated fats ratio and whole grains, warrant further investigation for their roles in maintaining cognitive health.