A Suboptimal Diet is Associated with Poorer Cognition: The NUDAD Project

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Nutritional Science
• Gerontology

Background:

• Nutrition is a key modifiable risk factor for cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease (AD) dementia.
• Limited data exists on dietary quality within clinical populations experiencing the AD dementia spectrum.
• Understanding diet-cognition links is crucial for preventative strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between dietary quality and cognitive impairment.
• To analyze these associations across the spectrum of Alzheimer's disease dementia, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and healthy controls.
• To identify specific dietary components influencing cognitive performance.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from 357 participants (134 AD dementia, 90 MCI, 133 controls) in the NUDAD project.
• Assessed adherence to dietary guidelines (vegetables, fruit, fiber, fish, fats, salt, alcohol).
• Evaluated cognitive performance across multiple domains (memory, language, visuospatial, attention, executive functioning).

Main Results:

• Lower vegetable intake correlated with poorer global cognition, visuospatial function, attention, and executive function in the overall cohort.
• In AD dementia patients, lower overall dietary adherence and higher alcohol intake were linked to poorer memory.
• Higher trans-fat intake was associated with poorer executive functioning in AD dementia patients, while lower vegetable intake impacted global cognition and executive function.

Conclusions:

• Suboptimal dietary patterns are associated with more severe cognitive impairment, particularly in Alzheimer's disease dementia.
• Reduced vegetable consumption is a primary dietary factor linked to cognitive deficits.
• Dietary interventions focusing on vegetable intake may be beneficial for cognitive health in aging populations and those with cognitive impairment.