Associations between dietary patterns and structural neuroimaging measures of relevance for dementia: Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC)

Associations between dietary patterns and structural neuroimaging measures of relevance for dementia Jessica Samuelsson, M.S.c¹, Anna Marseglia, PhD2, Olof Lindberg, PhD2, Eric Westman, PhD2, Silke Kern, MD, PhD¹, Felicia Ahlner M.S.c¹, Elisabet Rothenberg, PhD4, Ingmar Skoog, MD, PhD1,3*, Anna Zettergren, PhD¹* 1Neuropsychiatric Epidemiology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, Centre for Ageing and Health (AGECAP) at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, 2 Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Center for Alzheimer Research, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, 3Department of Psychiatry Cognition and Old Age Psychiatry, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Region Västra Götaland, Mölndal, Sweden, 4Food and Meal Science, Kristianstad University, Kristianstad, Sweden Abstract Background: Diet is one of the lifestyle factors that could influence the risk of developing dementia, but effects of diet on the brain are not fully understood. Investigating associations between dietary patterns and structural neuroimaging measures of relevance for dementia could potentially increase this understanding. Methods: This study includes cross-sectional data from the population-based Gothenburg H70 Birth Cohort Studies based in Sweden, including 610 dementia-free 70-year-olds (born 1944, examined 2014-16) with dietary and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data (54 % women). Three dietary patterns were derived with principal component analysis, one labelled Western (e.g., refined cereal products, sweets, savory bakery/fast food), one Mediterranean (e.g., vegetables, fruits, whole grain cereal products) and one Low-fiber and high-alcohol (e.g., red meat/processed red meat, eggs, alcoholic beverages). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measures of cortical thickness, white matter microstructure (based on diffusion tensor imaging), and a small vessel disease score (sum of white matter hyperintensities, lacunes, cerebral microbleeds, perivascular spaces) of relevance for dementia were included. Analyses (linear and ordinal regression models) were adjusted for sex, energy intake, educational level, physical activity level, smoking and body mass index. Results: Results from this study showed a positive association between higher adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern and higher white matter microstructural integrity (B 0.077; 95% CI 0.002 – 0.153), and that a higher adherence to the Low-fibre and high-alcohol dietary pattern was negatively associated with total mean cortical thickness (B -0.011; 95% CI -0.019 – -0.003) and an Alzheimer’s disease signature of cortical thickness (mean entorhinal, inferior temporal, middle temporal, and fusiform thickness) (B -0.013; 95% CI -0.024 – -0.001) in the fully adjusted models. No associations were found between the small vessel disease score and the dietary patterns. Nor were there any associations between the western dietary pattern and the MRI measures. Conclusions: The result from this study suggests that there may be an association between diet and dementia-related brain alterations. These findings could be of importance for dementia prevention strategies and for future intervention studies investigating the effect of dietary patterns in relation to dementia incidence.