MNT spoke with Megan Glenn, PsyD, clinical neuropsychologist at the Center for Memory and Healthy Aging in the Hackensack Meridian Neuroscience Institute at Jersey Shore University Medical Center in New Jersey, about this study’s results, which she commented left her feeling hopeful.
“For so long, genes like APOE4 have been viewed as a non-modifiable risk factor for developing dementia,” Glenn explained. “However, this study contributes to the growing literature base on how modifiable lifestyle factors, in this case diet, can help mitigate that risk. This is empowering because, even for people at high genetic risk, diet becomes a tool — something they can do to actively fight back against developing Alzheimer’s disease.”
“Prevention is our best tool right now. We don’t have a cure for Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia, and current medications offer only modest benefits. By the time someone is showing Alzheimer’s-related symptoms, like memory loss, the disease has already been present and progressing in the brain for decades. If we can identify protective factors, like diet, and implement them early, we have a better chance of slowing or even preventing the disease before it takes hold.”
— Megan Glenn, PsyD
Dining and Cooking