Alzheimer’s disease: Could Mediterranean, MIND diets help reduce brain plaques?

Now researchers from RUSH University have found a link between following either the MIND diet or the Mediterranean diet with fewer Alzheimer’s disease plaques and tangles.

Past research shows Alzheimer’s disease has a profound effect on two specific types of protein in the brain.

The first is called beta-amyloidTrusted Source. When a person has Alzheimer’s, the naturally occurring beta-amyloid protein changes its conformation and becomes “sticky.” This causes it to form clumps, also known as plaques, in the brain. These plaques gather between neurons, disrupting communication between them.

The second protein negatively affected by Alzheimer’s disease is tauTrusted Source. Tau naturally occurs inside neurons and helps them stay straight. When someone has Alzheimer’s, abnormal amounts of tau protein can collect inside neurons, forming tangles. These tangles block the neuron’s transport system, disrupting communication between them.