Western Diet Linked to Faster Cognitive Decline in Individuals with Alzheimer's Risk Gene
New research associates a Western diet with a more rapid decline in attention among older adults carrying the APOE ε4 gene variant.
Research from Murdoch University has identified a link between a Western diet and cognitive decline in individuals with an increased risk for Alzheimer's disease due to the inherited APOE ε4 gene. The findings were published in the journal Nutrients.
The study followed 185 older adults without dementia over a seven-year period. Observations indicated that participants carrying the APOE ε4 gene variant who adhered to a Western diet experienced a faster decline in attention compared to those who did not carry the variant or followed a different dietary pattern.
This discovery is significant as the APOE ε4 variant is one of the most common genetic risk factors for Alzheimer's disease in the United States, with an estimated 20-30 percent of the adult population carrying it. Lead researcher Blagojevic Castro highlighted that diet may be a crucial component of healthy brain aging.
The research suggests that understanding the role of diet in at-risk populations could inform future interventions and treatments aimed at preventing and slowing the progression of dementia.