MIND Diet May Slow Brain Aging, Study Finds

The Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) diet is associated with less brain tissue loss over time.

Mar. 18, 2026 at 9:34am

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A study published in the Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery & Psychiatry found that the MIND diet, which combines elements of the Mediterranean and DASH diets, may slow the structural changes related to brain aging. The study followed 1,647 middle-aged and older adults from the Framingham Heart Study Offspring cohort, tracking their brain health through MRI scans over an average of 12 years. Participants with higher adherence to the MIND diet showed slower declines in gray matter volume and slower expansion of ventricular volume, both indicators of brain aging.

Why it matters

The MIND diet has previously been linked to better cognitive health, but this study is the first to examine its impact on age-related structural changes in the brain that are associated with neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. The findings suggest the MIND diet could be a valuable tool in strategies aimed at slowing neurodegeneration as people age.

The details

The study found that each 3-point increase in MIND diet score was associated with 20% less age-related decline in gray matter volume and 1 year of delayed brain aging. Key dietary contributors to the beneficial effects included berries, which were linked to slower ventricular expansion, and poultry, which was associated with slower ventricular expansion and gray matter decline. Conversely, higher intake of sweets and fried fast foods were tied to faster brain tissue loss.

  • The study participants were monitored for an average of 12 years, from 1999 to 2019.
  • Participants completed food frequency questionnaires between 1991-1995, 1995-1998, and 1998-2001.

The players

Framingham Heart Study Offspring cohort (FOS)

A long-running study that has followed the children of the original Framingham Heart Study participants to better understand the development of cardiovascular and other diseases.

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What’s next

Researchers plan to further investigate the MIND diet's potential to slow neurodegeneration, including examining its effects in more diverse populations.

The takeaway

This study provides promising evidence that adhering to the MIND diet, which emphasizes brain-healthy foods like berries and poultry while limiting unhealthy items, could help slow age-related brain changes and potentially reduce the risk of neurodegenerative diseases as people get older.