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Association of the Mediterranean Diet With White Matter Integrity Among Hispanic or Latino Adults
Gabriela Trifan, Bayan Moustafa, Carmen R. Isasi, Richard B. Lipton, Daniela Sotres‐Alvarez, Jianwen Cai, Wassim Tarraf, Ariana M. Stickel et al.. Neurology, 2026-04-21
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
A total of 2,642 participants with a mean age of 64.3 years (95% CI 63.4-65.1, 44% male) were included. The average MeDiS was 5.0 (95% CI 4.9 to 5.1), and the LE7 score was 66.6 (95% CI 65.-67.6). Higher MeDiS was associated with lower WMH volume (β = -0.08, 95% CI -0.11 to -0.04), higher tWM volume (β = 0.05, 95% CI 0.005-0.09), lower FW (β = -0.04, 95% CI -0.08 to -0.002), and higher fractional anisotropy (FA) (β = 0.09, 95% CI 0.05-0.13). WMH, tWM, and FA mediated the association between MeDiS and GC. In addition, there was serial mediation from MeDiS on GC through LE7 score, WMH, tWM, and FA. Higher adherence to MeDi is linked to better WM structural integrity, which, together with CVH, mediates the association between MeDi and GC.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Trifan, G., Moustafa, B., Isasi, C. R., Lipton, R. B., Sotres‐Alvarez, D., Cai, J., et al. (2026). Association of the Mediterranean Diet With White Matter Integrity Among Hispanic or Latino Adults. Neurology. https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.0000000000214867
Vancouver
Trifan G, Moustafa B, Isasi CR, Lipton RB, Sotres‐Alvarez D, Cai J, et al. Association of the Mediterranean Diet With White Matter Integrity Among Hispanic or Latino Adults. Neurology. 2026. doi:10.1212/wnl.0000000000214867. PMID: 42013407.
BibTeX
@article{trifan2026-42013407,
author = {Trifan, Gabriela and Moustafa, Bayan and Isasi, Carmen R. and Lipton, Richard B. and Sotres‐Alvarez, Daniela and Cai, Jianwen and Tarraf, Wassim and Stickel, Ariana M. and others},
title = {{Association of the Mediterranean Diet With White Matter Integrity Among Hispanic or Latino Adults}},
journal = {Neurology},
year = {2026},
doi = {10.1212/wnl.0000000000214867},
pmid = {42013407},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.0000000000214867}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- A total of 2,642 participants with a mean age of 64.3 years (95% CI 63.4-65.1, 44% male) were included.
- The average MeDiS was 5.0 (95% CI 4.9 to 5.1), and the LE7 score was 66.6 (95% CI 65.-67.6).
- Higher MeDiS was associated with lower WMH volume (β = -0.08, 95% CI -0.11 to -0.04), higher tWM volume (β = 0.05, 95% CI 0.005-0.09), lower FW (β = -0.04, 95% CI -0.08 to -0.002), and higher fractional anisotropy (FA) (β = 0.09, 95% CI 0.05-0.13).
- WMH, tWM, and FA mediated the association between MeDiS and GC.
- In addition, there was serial mediation from MeDiS on GC through LE7 score, WMH, tWM, and FA.
Why it matters
This observational study found that higher Mediterranean diet adherence was linked to better white matter structural integrity, which together with cardiovascular health mediated the link to global cognition. It cannot show that the diet prevents or treats Alzheimer's disease.
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Study details
- Participants2,642
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 52/100
Published in a leading specialty journal. Scored zero for study design, effect reported and randomized / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (Neurology) |
| Journal's citation record | 4 / 4 | Neurology: journal h-index 525 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 5 / 5 | 2026 — within 1 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 3 / 4 | 2,642 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomized / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomization or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 1 / 7 | Cited 4 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 2.0 citations a year over 2 year(s) since 2026 |
| Impact for its field and year | 5 / 6 | Cited 25.6× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 4 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Fernando Daniel Testai: h-index 41 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 3 / 3 | Harvard University: institution h-index 3,235 (OpenAlex) |
| Multicenter collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 9 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 42013407) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 52 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
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