(P30-021-24) Study Protocol for the MIND Pilot Intervention: Measuring the Effects of Diet on Cognition and Metabolic Health

Objectives: The Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) is a dietary pattern linked to reduced cognitive decline in older adults, however, the effect of the MIND earlier in life is understudied. Our previous data show that MIND adherence is associated with greater cognitive function and metabolic health in middle-aged adults. Additionally, we have identified dietary lutein to be disproportionately high in the MIND relative to other diet patterns. This pilot study aims to prospectively test the effect of the MIND on cognition in middle-aged adults. Our primary hypothesis is that relative to the control group, participants receiving the MIND will exhibit greater gains in cognitive function, and this effect will be mediated by changes in cardiometabolic health and lutein accumulation in neural tissue.

Methods: Healthy adults (N=48) aged 45-64 will be recruited for a randomized-controlled, single-blind clinical trial with two treatment groups: MIND pattern (N=24); or general diet (N=24). The intervention will consist of one ready-to-eat meal per day for 12 weeks plus respective diet education. MIND meals will provide a 6-fold increase in dark green leafy vegetable servings, a 2-fold increase in berries and legumes, 3-fold increase in nuts, and 4-fold increase in olive oil consumption weekly relative to the control. MIND meals will provide nearly 5-fold more dietary lutein than the control. Cognitive function, macular pigment, blood, and vascular health markers will be collected at baseline and following 12 weeks of the intervention. Cognitive function will be assessed using a modified Eriksen flanker task with event-related potentials. Fasting blood triglyceride, glucose, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations will be quantified using a Piccolo Express analyzer. Vascular health will be indexed by pulse wave velocity and collected using the SphygmoCor® XCEL device. Neural lutein will be indexed by macular pigment optical density (MPOD).

Results: N/A

Conclusions: We expect that MIND consumption will increase cognitive performance and that benefits in cognition due to the MIND will be mediated by changes in MPOD and cardiometabolic health.

Funding Sources: Personalized Nutrition Initiative and National Center for Supercomputing Applications, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign