A new study by researchers at Mass General Brigham, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and the Broad Institute shows that a Mediterranean diet may reduce the risk of dementia, especially in people at high genetic risk of Alzheimer’s. The study, published in Nature Medicine , highlights that the diet is particularly effective for carriers of the APOE4 gene variant.

The study analyzed data from 4,215 women (Nurses’ Health Study, 1989–2023) and 1,490 men (Health Professionals Follow-Up Study, 1993–2023). Dietary habits were recorded by means of questionnaires, blood samples were examined for metabolic products and the genetic risk of Alzheimer’s was determined. Carriers of two copies of the APOE4 variant, who have up to a twelve-fold increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease, benefited most from the Mediterranean diet. They showed a lower risk of dementia and slower cognitive decline.

The Mediterranean diet influences important metabolic pathways that can reduce the risk of dementia. The protective effect was particularly pronounced in the high-risk group, suggesting that diet may mitigate genetic risks. One limitation of the study is the homogeneous cohort of European origin, which is why further investigations in more diverse population groups are necessary.

The results are not yet integrated into clinical risk models, as genetic tests such as APOE are rarely routinely performed. Future research will examine whether targeted nutritional measures can influence metabolites in order to develop individualized approaches to dementia prevention.

Original Paper:

Interplay of genetic predisposition, plasma metabolome and Mediterranean diet in dementia risk and cognitive function | Nature Medicine

Editor: X-Press Journalistenbüro GbR

Gender Notice. The personal designations used in this text always refer equally to female, male and diverse persons. Double/triple naming and gendered designations are used for better readability. ected.