Maintaining a healthy diet in midlife is independently associated with a larger hippocampus years later and may protect against mental illness and cognitive decline, researchers say.
“This is the first major study to investigate long-term diet impact at midlife on hippocampus structures. Our study contributes to the growing body of evidence that shows overall diet impact on mental health,” lead investigator Tasnime Akbaraly, PhD, from the French Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM) and the University of Montpellier, told Medscape Medical News.
“Thus, routine dietary counseling as part of a doctor’s office visit, especially with mental health practitioners, is of importance at a patient’s level, but sound dietary counseling should also be a high-priority public health goal,” said Akbaraly.
The study was published online July 26 in the American Journal of Medicine.
Healthy Midlife Diet May Preserve Memory, Prevent Mental Illness
About the Author: Kendra Campbell, MD
Dr. Campbell is a holistic psychiatrist and founder of Free Range Psychiatry. She is passionate about bringing awareness to the harms caused by medicating the human experience.
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