Potential for diet to prevent and remediate cognitive deficits in neurological disorders

Abstract

The pathophysiology of many neurological disorders involves oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and mitochondrial dysfunction. There is now substantial evidence that diet can decrease these forms of pathophysiology, and an emerging body of literature relatedly suggests that diet can also prevent or even remediate the cognitive deficits observed in neurological disorders that exhibit such pathology (eg, Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis, age-related cognitive decline, epilepsy). The current review summarizes the emerging evidence in relation to whole diets prominent in the scientific literature-ketogenic, caloric restriction, high polyphenol, and Mediterranean diets-and provides a discussion of the possible underlying neurophysiological mechanisms.