The association of the MIND diet and its components with cognitive function in postmenopausal breast cancer survivors

Cancer related cognitive impairment is frequently reported by cancer survivors. The purpose of this study was to determine the association of the MIND diet pattern and its components with cognitive function in breast cancer survivors following chemotherapy.

This was a cross-sectional study of 30 post-menopausal breast cancer survivors within one year of completing chemotherapy; 21 had complete data for analysis. Cognitive outcomes were assessed using a battery of objective tests. Self-reported dietary data were collected through electronic food frequency questionnaire; nutritional biomarkers were measured in blood. Linear regression models assessed the associations between the MIND diet score and its components with cognitive outcomes.

Adherence to the MIND diet pattern was positively associated with global cognitive score (β = 1.163, p = 0.013), episodic memory (β = 3.726, p = 0.019), attention/working memory (β = 4.046, p = 0.024) and phonemic fluency (β = 42.305, p = 0.002) adjusting for education and total energy intake. Foods emphasized in the MIND diet such as non-fried fish, vegetables, and beans/legumes were all positively associated with cognitive performance on individual tests (p < 0.05 for all). Blood biomarkers of vegetable (β-carotene) and non-fried fish (docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)) correlated with self-reported intake. Blood DHA was correlated with better cognitive performance (p < 0.05) Additionally, moderate intake of red meat and lower intake of fast food were positively associated with cognitive performance (p < 0.05 for both).

Among post-menopausal breast cancer survivors that are within one year of completing chemotherapy, adherence to the MIND diet pattern and its components was associated with better cognitive function.