MIND and Mediterranean diets associated with later onset of Parkinson’s disease

January 13, 2021

PWIAS Distinguished Professor, Dr. Brett Finlay has co-authored a new study that suggests a strong correlation between following the MIND and Mediterranean diets and later onset of Parkinson’s disease (PD). While researchers have long known of neuroprotective effects of the MIND diet for diseases like Alzheimer’s and dementia, this study is the first to suggest a link between this diet and brain health for Parkinson’s disease (PD). The MIND diet combines aspects of two very popular diets, the Mediterranean diet and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet.

“It drives home the connection between the gut and the brain for this disease,” says Dr. Finlay, professor in the departments of biochemistry and molecular biology, and microbiology and immunology at UBC. “It also shows it’s not just one disease that healthy eating can affect, but several of these cognitive diseases.”

The research team plans to further examine the potential connection between the microbiome and its effect on the brain.

Read more here.