New research suggests that following a Mediterranean-style diet could reduce the risk of dementia and slow cognitive decline, even for individuals with strong genetic predispositions. The study highlights the potential for lifestyle choices to counteract one of the most significant genetic risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease: the APOE4 gene variant.
Having one copy of APOE4 triples the risk of developing Alzheimer’s, while two copies increase the risk up to 12-fold. However, over a 30-year period, people adhering to diets rich in vegetables, fruits, nuts, whole grains, and low in red and processed meats were less likely to develop dementia, with the strongest protective effects seen in those carrying two copies of the APOE4 variant.
Genetic Risk and Personalized Prevention
Researchers tracked more than 5,600 participants, collecting long-term dietary data, blood samples, genetic profiles, and cognitive assessments. They also examined blood metabolites to understand how diet influences metabolic pathways linked to brain health. The study suggests that dietary strategies, particularly the Mediterranean diet, could broadly support cognitive function and help mitigate genetic risks.
While carrying APOE4 does not guarantee dementia, the findings indicate that diet could play a crucial role in prevention, particularly for those at higher genetic risk. Researchers caution that the study was limited to mostly well-educated individuals of European ancestry and call for further research in more diverse populations. In the future, integrating genetic and metabolite data into personalized dietary interventions could offer a more tailored approach to reducing dementia risk.
