eprintid: 28563 rev_number: 9 eprint_status: archive userid: 2 dir: disk0/00/02/85/63 datestamp: 2026-05-12 19:27:19 lastmod: 2026-05-12 19:27:19 status_changed: 2026-05-12 19:27:19 type: article metadata_visibility: show creators_name: Grasso, Margherita creators_name: L’Episcopo, Francesca creators_name: Fidilio, Annamaria creators_name: Olvera-Moreira, Marco Antonio creators_name: Toscano, Giuseppe creators_name: Muratore, Stefano creators_name: Drago, Margherita creators_name: Musso, Sabrina creators_name: Bentivegna, Veronica creators_name: Costanzo, Lucrezia creators_name: Toral-Noristz, Melannie creators_name: Zambrano-Villacres, Raynier creators_name: León Brizuela, Lisandra creators_name: Lanza, Giuseppe creators_name: Ferri, Raffaele creators_name: Caraci, Filippo title: Adherence to the Mediterranean diet, inflammatory biomarkers and cognitive status in older Italian adults ispublished: pub subjects: uneat_ps subjects: uneat_sn divisions: unincol_produccion_cientifica divisions: uninimx_produccion_cientifica divisions: unic_produccion_cientifica full_text_status: public keywords: diet quality, inflammation, Mediterranean diet, mild cognitive impairment, neuroinflammation abstract: Background: Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) is viewed as a transitional stage between normal brain aging and dementia and is characterized by subtle cognitive deficits without significant impairment in daily functioning. Growing evidence supports the contribution of neuroinflammation and modifiable lifestyle factors, including diet, in the progression of cognitive decline.Aim: This study aimed to investigate the association between adherence to the Mediterranean diet, neuroinflammatory biomarkers, and MCI status in older adults.Design: Ninety-two participants were enrolled in this cross-sectional study, including 37 subjects with MCI. Dietary intake was assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) and adherence to the Mediterranean diet explored through the MedDietScore. Plasma levels of TGF-β1 and TNF-α were measured by ELISA. Cognitive status was evaluated using the Mini Mental Examination (MMSE) and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), both adjusted for age and education. Statistical analyses included non-parametric tests, correlation analysis, and logistic regression models.Results: MCI patients showed significantly reduced plasma levels of TGF-β1 and increased TNF-α concentrations compared to other participants. After adjustment for potential confounding factors, greater adherence to the Mediterranean diet was associated with a lower likelihood of MCI in a dose–response manner (highest versus lowest adherence quartile, odds ratio: 0.07, 95% confidence interval: 0.01–0.60). Additional adjustment for inflammatory biomarkers attenuated the associations, suggesting a potential mediating role.Conclusion: Our findings showed that higher adherence to Mediterranean diet is associated with lower likelihood of being MCI. Such a relation might be, at least in part, mediated by inflammatory biomarkers. Overall, these results support the role of dietary modulation in preventive strategies against cognitive decline and progression into MCI. date: 2026-04 publication: Frontiers in Nutrition volume: 13 id_number: doi:10.3389/fnut.2026.1809163 refereed: TRUE issn: 2296-861X official_url: http://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2026.1809163 access: open language: en citation: Artículo Materias > Psicología Materias > Alimentación Fundación Universitaria Internacional de Colombia > Investigación > Artículos y libros Universidad Internacional Iberoamericana México > Investigación > Producción Científica Universidad Internacional do Cuanza > Investigación > Producción Científica Abierto Inglés Background: Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) is viewed as a transitional stage between normal brain aging and dementia and is characterized by subtle cognitive deficits without significant impairment in daily functioning. Growing evidence supports the contribution of neuroinflammation and modifiable lifestyle factors, including diet, in the progression of cognitive decline.Aim: This study aimed to investigate the association between adherence to the Mediterranean diet, neuroinflammatory biomarkers, and MCI status in older adults.Design: Ninety-two participants were enrolled in this cross-sectional study, including 37 subjects with MCI. Dietary intake was assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) and adherence to the Mediterranean diet explored through the MedDietScore. Plasma levels of TGF-β1 and TNF-α were measured by ELISA. Cognitive status was evaluated using the Mini Mental Examination (MMSE) and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), both adjusted for age and education. Statistical analyses included non-parametric tests, correlation analysis, and logistic regression models.Results: MCI patients showed significantly reduced plasma levels of TGF-β1 and increased TNF-α concentrations compared to other participants. After adjustment for potential confounding factors, greater adherence to the Mediterranean diet was associated with a lower likelihood of MCI in a dose–response manner (highest versus lowest adherence quartile, odds ratio: 0.07, 95% confidence interval: 0.01–0.60). Additional adjustment for inflammatory biomarkers attenuated the associations, suggesting a potential mediating role.Conclusion: Our findings showed that higher adherence to Mediterranean diet is associated with lower likelihood of being MCI. Such a relation might be, at least in part, mediated by inflammatory biomarkers. Overall, these results support the role of dietary modulation in preventive strategies against cognitive decline and progression into MCI. metadata Grasso, Margherita; L’Episcopo, Francesca; Fidilio, Annamaria; Olvera-Moreira, Marco Antonio; Toscano, Giuseppe; Muratore, Stefano; Drago, Margherita; Musso, Sabrina; Bentivegna, Veronica; Costanzo, Lucrezia; Toral-Noristz, Melannie; Zambrano-Villacres, Raynier; León Brizuela, Lisandra; Lanza, Giuseppe; Ferri, Raffaele y Caraci, Filippo mail SIN ESPECIFICAR (2026) Adherence to the Mediterranean diet, inflammatory biomarkers and cognitive status in older Italian adults. Frontiers in Nutrition, 13. ISSN 2296-861X document_url: http://repositorio.unincol.edu.co/id/eprint/28563/1/fnut-13-1809163.pdf