Scientific studies link diet and brain cell maturation to cognitive health

Recent scientific findings highlight two distinct factors influencing human brain health and cognitive complexity. Research involving approximately 14,000 participants from the REGARDS study suggests that adherence to the MIND diet—a combination of Mediterranean and DASH dietary patterns—is associated with a lower risk of cognitive impairment. The diet emphasizes leafy greens, berries, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and fish, while limiting red meat, sweets, and fried foods. In women, strict adherence was linked to an 8% reduction in the risk of cognitive decline.

Separately, researchers at Columbia University’s Zuckerman Institute have discovered that the slow maturation of human microglia, the brain’s primary immune cells, may contribute to superior human intelligence. Unlike in mice, where microglia mature in weeks, human microglia take four to eight years to develop. This prolonged maturation process, potentially influenced by human-specific gene duplications like SRGAP2, allows these cells to more effectively shape brain circuits and support the dense neural networks characteristic of human cognition.