Effect of nutrition on neurodegenerative diseases. A systematic review.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to evaluate the role of the Mediterranean Diet (MeDiet) in protecting against cognitive decline and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
Results Summary
The study found that MeDiet, along with nutritional support and calorie-controlled diets, has a protective effect against cognitive decline, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease, while malnutrition and insulin resistance are significant risk factors. Omega-3, omega-6, and vitamin supplementation were less effective in protecting against neuron degeneration.
Population
Individuals at risk of or experiencing cognitive impairment and neurodegenerative diseases.
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
Not specified
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
malnutrition | increase | higher development of dementia and mortality | - | - | is correlated with | #1 |
low body mass index (BMI) | increase | higher development of dementia and mortality | - | - | is correlated with | #2 |
Mediterranean diet (MeDiet) | decrease | cognitive decline | - | - | play a protective effect against | #3 |
Mediterranean diet (MeDiet) | decrease | Alzheimer's disease (AD) | - | - | play a protective effect against | #4 |
Mediterranean diet (MeDiet) | decrease | Parkinson disease (PD) | - | - | play a protective effect against | #5 |
nutritional support | decrease | cognitive decline | - | - | play a protective effect against | #6 |
nutritional support | decrease | Alzheimer's disease (AD) | - | - | play a protective effect against | #7 |
nutritional support | decrease | Parkinson disease (PD) | - | - | play a protective effect against | #8 |
calorie-controlled diets | decrease | cognitive decline | - | - | play a protective effect against | #9 |
calorie-controlled diets | decrease | Alzheimer's disease (AD) | - | - | play a protective effect against | #10 |
calorie-controlled diets | decrease | Parkinson disease (PD) | - | - | play a protective effect against | #11 |
malnutrition | increase | cognitive decline | - | - | represent significant risk factors | #12 |
insulin resistance | increase | cognitive decline | - | - | represent significant risk factors | #13 |
malnutrition | increase | gut-microbiota-brain axis dysfunction | - | - | activates | #14 |
gut-microbiota-brain axis dysfunction | increase | neurogenerative process | - | - | exacerbate | #15 |
Omega-3 and -6 | no change | neuron degeneration | - | - | seem to be less effective in protecting | #16 |
vitamins supplementation | no change | neuron degeneration | - | - | seem to be less effective in protecting | #17 |
Insulin activity | increase | brain health | - | - | is a prevalent factor contributing to | #18 |
Neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by the progressive functional loss of neurons in the brain, causing cognitive impairment and motoneuron disability. Although multifactorial interactions are evident, nutrition plays an essential role in the pathogenesis and evolution of these diseases. A systematic literature search was performed, and the prevalence of studies evaluated the effect of the Mediterranean diet (MeDiet), nutritional support, EPA and DHA, and vitamins on memory and cognition impairment. The data showed that malnutrition and low body mass index (BMI) is correlated with the higher development of dementia and mortality. MeDiet, nutritional support, and calorie-controlled diets play a protective effect against cognitive decline, Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson disease (PD) while malnutrition and insulin resistance represent significant risk factors. Malnutrition activates also the gut-microbiota-brain axis dysfunction that exacerbate neurogenerative process. Omega-3 and -6, and the vitamins supplementation seem to be less effective in protecting neuron degeneration. Insulin activity is a prevalent factor contributing to brain health while malnutrition correlated with the higher development of dementia and mortality.