Defeating dementia: The MIND brain diet may lower risk

Research links the MIND diet — a Mediterranean‑DASH hybrid emphasising leafy greens, nuts, berries, wholegrains, olive oil and fish — with lower dementia risk in multiple studies; one 2015 analysis reported a 53% lower Alzheimer's risk among strict adherents and a 2023 review found a 17% lower dementia risk in large cohorts.

A Mediterranean-style plan called the MIND diet has been developed specifically to protect brain health by combining elements of the Mediterranean and DASH diets. Researchers have studied the diet’s association with dementia outcomes across different populations and timeframes. The article also notes research into repurposing existing medicines and vaccines, and it summarises the status of new Alzheimer’s drugs. Reported study results, possible biological mechanisms and regulatory context are described without prescribing actions. Key findings: - The MIND diet emphasises ten 'brain-healthy' foods (leafy greens, other vegetables, nuts, berries, beans and legumes, wholegrains, fish, poultry, olive oil and optional moderate red wine) and recommends limiting red meat, butter and margarine, cheese, pastries and fried or fast foods. - A 2015 analysis published in Alzheimer's & Dementia followed more than 900 people for about four-and-a-half years and reported that those with the highest adherence to the MIND diet had a 53% lower risk of Alzheimer's in that cohort. - A 2023 review in JAMA Psychiatry covering about 224,000 middle-aged participants found that closer adherence to MIND principles was associated with a 17% lower likelihood of developing dementia. - Researchers suggest benefits arise from the anti-inflammatory properties of recommended foods and their potential to reduce oxidative stress, both linked to brain ageing and neurodegeneration. - Reviews of repurposed interventions report associations between vaccines and lower dementia risk; a 2025 review found shingles vaccination linked with a 24% lower risk of any dementia and a 47% lower risk of Alzheimer's, and a 2022 review reported vaccines overall were associated with reduced dementia risk in pooled studies. - New drugs such as lecanemab and donanemab have been approved in the UK but are not routinely used on the NHS; they are reported to modestly slow disease progression by clearing amyloid and can cause serious side effects requiring monitoring. Trials of other agents, including some GLP-1 drugs, have shown mixed results and further research is under way. Summary: Reported studies associate dietary patterns like the MIND diet and several medical interventions with lower dementia risk in observational and trial settings. Biological explanations discussed include reduced inflammation and oxidative stress, and research into vaccines, repurposed drugs and new Alzheimer’s therapies continues. Regulatory and clinical use vary by treatment, and further trials and analyses are ongoing.