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. 2014 Oct 14;83(16):1410-6.
doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000000884. Epub 2014 Sep 17.

Relation of DASH- and Mediterranean-like dietary patterns to cognitive decline in older persons

Christy C Tangney  1 , Hong Li  2 , Yamin Wang  2 , Lisa Barnes  2 , Julie A Schneider  2 , David A Bennett  2 , Martha C Morris  2
Affiliations

Relation of DASH- and Mediterranean-like dietary patterns to cognitive decline in older persons

Christy C Tangney et al. Neurology. .

Abstract

Objectives: We examined whether accordance to the DASH (Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension) and Mediterranean diets is associated with slower cognitive decline in a prospective Chicago cohort study of older persons, the Memory and Aging Project.

Methods: The sample comprised 826 Memory and Aging Project participants (aged 81.5 ± 7.1 years) who completed a 144-item food frequency questionnaire at baseline and 2 or more cognitive assessments over 4.1 years. Dietary scores were computed for accordance to the DASH diet (0-10) and the Mediterranean diet (MedDietScore) (0-55). For both, higher scores reflect greater accordance. Both patterns share at least 3 common food components. Cognitive function was assessed annually with 19 cognitive tests from which global cognitive scores and summary measures are computed.

Results: The mean global cognitive score at baseline was 0.12 (range, -3.23 to 1.60) with an overall mean annual change in score of -0.08 standardized units. Only 13 participants had possible dementia. The mean DASH score was 4.1 (range, 1.0-8.5) and the MedDietScore was 31.3 (range, 18-46). In mixed models adjusted for covariates, a 1-unit difference in DASH score was associated with a slower rate of global cognitive decline by 0.007 standardized units (standard error of estimate = 0.003, p = 0.03). Similarly, a 1-unit-higher MedDietScore was associated with a slower rate of global cognitive decline by 0.002 standardized units (standard error of estimate = 0.001, p = 0.01).

Conclusions: These findings support the hypothesis that both the DASH and Mediterranean diet patterns are associated with slower rates of cognitive decline in the same cohort of older persons.

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Figures

Figure
Figure. Cognitive change over time by DASH scores and MedDietScores
Changes in global cognitive scores over time as a function of (A) DASH score tertiles (left) and (B) MedDietScore tertiles (right). All mixed models included covariable adjustments by age, sex, education, energy, and late-life cognitive activities. Change rates in global cognitive scores of Memory and Aging Project participants were significantly associated in the highest tertiles of either score—DASH (β = 0.022, SEE = 0.011, p = 0.04) or MedDiet (β = 0.034, SEE = 0.012, p = 0.003)—but not for those whose DASH scores (β = −0.001, SEE = 0.010, p = 0.95) or MedDietScores (β = 0.01, SEE = 0.011, p = 0.37) were in the second tertiles. DASH = Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension; MedDiet = Mediterranean diet; MedDietScore = Mediterranean diet score; SEE = standard error of estimate.
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