by wildcherry on Monday, February 8th, 2010 | Health, Life

Eating a Mediterranean-style diet — one rich in olive oil, whole grains, fish and fruit – may protect aging brains from damage linked to cognitive problems, a new study finds.

Other studies have already found that such diets also lower risks for depression, cancer, heart disease and premature death.

The latest study was led by Dr. Nikolaos Scarmeas, an associate professor of neurology at Columbia University Medical Center, New York City, and involved 712 men and women averaging 80 years of age. All of the participants had no history of stroke and received MRIs to look for brain infarcts — tissues that have died because of reduced or cut-off blood supply.

Though the infarcts are true strokes, Scarmeas said, they are so small that they escape notice.

In all, 238 people had at least one area of brain damage, he said.

Full Story: Business Week

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