Diet, Epigenetics, and Alzheimer’s Disease

Abstract

Because of the longer average life span of the human population, age-associated cognitive deterioration is an increasing health concern in Western countries. Consequently, health maintenance throughout life has become one of the major challenges in population aging, and the consumption of healthy food is one of the key allies in the protection of brain function and preservation of cognitive abilities. Representing one of the most important lifestyle factors, diet can strongly influence the incidence of a range of inflammatory neurodegenerative conditions, most notably Alzheimer's disease (AD), and thus a healthy diet is an essential factor for healthy aging. For example, a convincing body of evidence demonstrates that a Western diet -- one high in saturated fat and refined carbohydrates -- can damage various brain systems. These include dietary-induced reductions in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), insulin resistance, oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and impaired blood-brain barrier integrity.