Mediterranean diet and structured lifestyle programs linked to slower brain ageing

A long‑term study of 1,647 adults (average age 60) found that higher adherence to a Mediterranean‑style diet – rich in vegetables, berries, nuts, olive oil and fish – was associated with 20 % less grey‑matter loss and a delay of brain ageing by about 2½ years. The researchers noted that “grey matter atrophy and ventricle volume enlargement are well‑established markers of brain ageing”.

In the POINTER trial, a structured multidomain lifestyle intervention (diet, exercise, cognitive and social activities, and cardiovascular monitoring) slowed the increase of white‑matter free water in participants under 70, indicating reduced vascular brain ageing. The investigators said the study “provides evidence that a multidomain lifestyle intervention may help slow changes in brain white matter associated with aging”.

A separate trial across 12 Latin American countries enrolled more than 1,000 adults aged 60‑77 in a two‑year programme of supervised exercise (including culturally adapted activities such as salsa dancing), personalised brain‑healthy diet advice, social group meetings and computer‑based brain training. Participants showed measurable improvements in cognition, episodic memory, executive function and processing speed, demonstrating that harmonised non‑pharmacological interventions can be effective in diverse sociocultural settings.

Building on these findings, the Alzheimer’s Association has launched the $100 million PROTECT‑Cog study, a global three‑year trial that will compare intensive lifestyle coaching with a lighter programme and test whether adding a GLP‑1 receptor agonist further reduces the risk of mild cognitive impairment and dementia in older adults at elevated risk.