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More than 55 million people globally suffer from Alzheimer’s disease, with an estimated 10 million new cases each year.
While scientists still do not know what exactly causes the disease, researchers have linked a diet found in Mediterranean countries, including Arab countries, to reduce infection.
A study prepared by researchers from the American “Rush” University, and recently published in the journal Neurology, found that following the “Mind” or “Mediterranean” diet may reduce the risk of developing the disease.
Previous research has shown that Alzheimer’s disease has a profound effect on two specific types of protein in the brain that are affected by an individual’s diet, according to medicalnewstoday.
Cereals and nuts
The “Mediterranean” diet focuses on eating foods that people in the Mediterranean region of the world eat naturally, including the Arab countries.
This includes fruits, vegetables, legumes, and all kinds of grains, as well as olive oil, nuts, and moderate amounts of poultry and seafood.
In turn, Dr. Pooja Agarwal, the lead author of this study, said that she and her team decided to study the potential effects of the “MIND” and “Mediterranean” diets.
She added that the study relied on observation and follow-up of the elderly from the time they joined the study until their death.
Alzheimer’s
She also explained that the team obtained information about what they ate during the follow-up, and then they assessed Alzheimer’s disease and its effects on the brain among those.
Upon analysis, the research team found an association between following a MIND or Mediterranean diet with fewer Alzheimer’s plaques and tangles.
Reduce the chance of injury
In addition, she indicated that these results are not surprising, but encouraging, pointing out that the improvement in people’s diet in only one area, such as eating more than six servings of leafy vegetables per week, or not eating fried foods was associated with fewer amyloid plaques in the brain. which are associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
“These findings are exciting, suggesting that healthy diets such as the MIND diet or the Mediterranean diet may reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease,” she added.
The study authors plan to further investigate other potential mechanisms by which diet may have a protective effect on the brain, by examining its relationship to cerebral vasculature and other diseases, detailed neuroimaging, and plasma neuronal biomarkers.