https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-01-mediterranean-diet-linked-memory-gut.html
A new Tulane University study suggests the Mediterranean diet's brain-boosting benefits may work by changing the balance of bacteria in the gut.
In a study published in Gut Microbes Reports, researchers at Tulane University School of Medicine found that subjects following a Mediterranean diet developed distinctly different gut bacteria patterns compared to those eating a typical Western diet. These bacterial changes correlated with better memory and cognitive performance.
"We've known that what we eat affects brain function, but this study explores how that could be happening," said lead author Rebecca Solch-Ottaiano, Ph.D., neurology research instructor at Tulane's Clinical Neuroscience Research Center. "Our findings suggest that dietary choices can influence cognitive performance by reshaping the gut microbiome."
The study found that rats fed a Mediterranean-style diet rich in olive oil, fish and fiber over 14 weeks showed increases in four beneficial types of gut bacteria and decreases in five others compared to rats eating a Western diet high in saturated fats. These bacterial changes were linked to improved performance on maze challenges designed to test memory and learning.
Specifically, higher levels of bacteria such as Candidatus Saccharimonas were associated with better cognitive performance, while increased levels of other bacteria, such as Bifidobacterium, correlated with poorer memory function.
The Mediterranean diet group also showed better cognitive flexibility—the ability to adapt to new information—and improved working memory compared to the Western diet group. They maintained lower levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol.
Journal Reference: Rebecca J. Solch-Ottaiano et al, Comparison between two divergent diets, Mediterranean and Western, on gut microbiota and cognitive function in young sprague dawley rats, Gut Microbes Reports (2024). DOI: 10.1080/29933935.2024.2439490
(Score: 2) by corey on Thursday January 09, @10:06AM (5 children)
I have been reading a book about longevity valled Outlive: The Art and Science of Longevity by Peter Attia. It's been a really good read (I heard him interviewed by Sam Harris which I subscribe to which got me onto the book - success for Peter). Anyway, in it he talks about medical studies, diets (including the Mediterranean) and fads. And he sort of writes a lot of them off, good but always narrow and leaving out important aspects, because it's hard to study thousands of people by controlling their diet, over a few decades. And though I haven't read anything other than TFS above about this news, it sounds like just-another-study-on-nutrition. Testing rats, on a Mediterranean vs Western diet must've been done 50 times before. And the conclusion - of course increasing fibre intake, reducing sugar and alcohol, is going to improve at least some health metrics.
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday January 09, @11:16AM
> ... because it's hard to study thousands of people by controlling their diet, over a few decades.
Does this book discuss what are now being called "natural experiments" where you look for existing populations that already do what you are interested in? For example, look for enclaves of people that have long, healthy lives vs enclaves that lead short, unhealthy lives...then start looking at every thing about them that you can quantify with multivariable statistics?
A classic example (iirc) is brown rice vs white rice in Japan where poor people and prisoners ate low priced brown rice and didn't get beriberi, while rich people ate white rice and suffered.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by mcgrew on Thursday January 09, @07:56PM (3 children)
I have been reading a book about longevity called Outlive
My mom died at 92 from cancer. Her brother made it to 103, she said in his 90s he looked 70. On the other side of the family, my grandma made it to 99. Her father in law was 103 (an accident killed Grandpa McGrew).
I look very young for my age. People ask me how I look so young, I tell them that I chose my grandparents wisely. You're unlikely to live longer than your oldest grandparent lived no matter what you ingest.
However, you can easily shorten your life by smoking tobacco, drinking, never exercising, and eating fats food every day.
A man legally forbidden from possessing a firearm is in charge of America's nuclear arsenal. Have a nice day.
(Score: 2) by corey on Friday January 10, @11:41AM (2 children)
Wow, lucky you! He has a chapter in the book about centerinarians, and what gives them their longevity. Turns out, the science (many studies) says it's genetics. Some families are just lucky. Even though the news will interview these centerinarians and ask them what their secret is, which is usually answered as whisky at night, not worrying about anything, walking the dog each day, etc. But it's the genes.
I've also heard (not in the book) that really rough living conditions at a young age can re-wire ones' genes to live longer. I think it has to do with slowing down or improving the DNA/gene/something cycling/recycling yadda yadda. My father was born into WW2-bombed Rotterdam (Netherlands) in 1943 and almost died, being fed boiled grass by my oma. The family doctor told her to leave him aside (she had a lot of other kids). Hopefully those genes are re-wired and I also get those benefits. He's still alive at 81, but seems to be losing his marbles a bit lately.
(Score: 2) by mcgrew on Saturday January 11, @07:37PM
I've also heard (not in the book) that really rough living conditions at a young age can re-wire ones' genes to live longer.
I'd like to see a study, because that's contrary to what I've seen. My experience is that those with the roughest lives all look twenty years older than their age.
About your eighty one year old Grandpa, how can you know that had it not been for his misfortune at such a young age he wouldn't be suffering as much mental decline? How old were his parents when they passed? If they were both centenarians, that's what to look at. At any rate, one in four old grandparents gives you pretty good odds.
A man legally forbidden from possessing a firearm is in charge of America's nuclear arsenal. Have a nice day.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday January 12, @01:33AM
If we tried to eat to reach their weight I'm sure many of us would be dead before we got halfway and most before 500kg. So the scientists should find out WHY these people aren't dying earlier. All those mice longevity studies won't teach you as much since mice aren't humans and even earthworms can live longer than mice.
Whereas an ultraobese human is just as human as you and I.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday January 09, @06:43PM (1 child)
Just when I learned the Romans were dumb due to lead, I now learn they were smart due to gut microbiome...
(Score: 2) by Unixnut on Thursday January 09, @09:48PM
AFAIR long term lead exposure primarily made people aggressive. So if the med diet made them smart and lead exposure made them aggressive, it seems the perfect human stock to go forth, conquer and build a large empire. Perhaps that was the key to their success?