Article

Mediterranean diet and white matter hyperintensity volume in the Northern Manhattan Study.

Department of Neurology, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA.
Archives of neurology (impact factor: 6.31). 02/2012; 69(2):251-6. DOI:10.1001/archneurol.2011.548 pp.251-6
Source: PubMed

ABSTRACT To examine the association between a Mediterranean-style diet (MeDi) and brain magnetic resonance imaging white matter hyperintensity volume (WMHV).
A cross-sectional analysis within a longitudinal population-based cohort study. A semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire was administered, and a score (range, 0-9) was calculated to reflect increasing similarity to the MeDi pattern.
The Northern Manhattan Study.
A total of 1091 participants, of whom 966 had dietary information (mean age, 72 years; 59.3% women, 64.6% Hispanic, 15.6% white, and 17.5% black).
The WMHV was measured by quantitative brain magnetic resonance imaging. Linear regression models were constructed to examine the association between the MeDi score and the log-transformed WMHV as a proportion of total cranial volume, controlling for sociodemographic and vascular risk factors.
On the MeDi scale, 11.6% scored 0 to 2, 15.8% scored 3, 23.0% scored 4, 23.5% scored 5, and 26.1% scored 6 to 9. Each 1-point increase in MeDi score was associated with a lower log WMHV (β = -.04, P = .01). The only MeDi score component that was an independent predictor of WMHV was the ratio of monounsaturated to saturated fat (β = -.20, P = .001).
A MeDi was associated with a lower WMHV burden, a marker of small vessel damage in the brain. However, white matter hyperintensities are etiologically heterogenous and can include neurodegeneration. Replication by other population-based studies is needed.

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Keywords

brain magnetic resonance imaging white matter hyperintensity volume
 
cross-sectional analysis
 
independent predictor
 
Linear regression models
 
log-transformed WMHV
 
longitudinal population-based cohort study
 
lower log WMHV
 
lower WMHV burden
 
MeDi pattern
 
MeDi scale
 
MeDi score
 
MeDi score component
 
Mediterranean-style diet
 
neurodegeneration
 
Northern Manhattan Study
 
semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire
 
small vessel damage
 
total cranial volume
 
vascular risk factors
 
white matter hyperintensities