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Effects of a Mediterranean Diet-Based Program on Cognitive Decline: Non-Blinded Non-Randomized Controlled Trial of the CESPORT Program
Juan Carlos Checa Olmos, Montserrat Monserrat Hernández, Ángeles Arjona Garrido, José Antonio Salinas, Manuel Díaz-Pérez. Nutrients, 2026-03-27
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
After adjusting for baseline scores via ANCOVA, the experimental group demonstrated significantly higher post-intervention outcomes compared to the control group (p < 0.001). Substantial improvements with medium-to-large effect sizes were observed in global cognition, reasoning, attention, coordination and perception. Furthermore, urinary BDNF levels were significantly elevated in the experimental group. Positive correlations were found between Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor concentrations and cognitive performance in multiple domains (p < 0.05), particularly regarding global status and reasoning. The multicomponent CESPORT intervention demonstrates a potential protective effect against age-related cognitive decline. Furthermore, urinary BDNF emerges as a promising, non-invasive early biomarker for cognitive health. Further research is warranted to validate these findings.
Key findings
- After adjusting for baseline scores via ANCOVA, the experimental group demonstrated significantly higher post-intervention outcomes compared to the control group (p < 0.001).
- Substantial improvements with medium-to-large effect sizes were observed in global cognition, reasoning, attention, coordination and perception.
- Furthermore, urinary BDNF levels were significantly elevated in the experimental group.
- Positive correlations were found between Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor concentrations and cognitive performance in multiple domains (p < 0.05), particularly regarding global status and reasoning.
- The multicomponent CESPORT intervention demonstrates a potential protective effect against age-related cognitive decline.
Why it matters
In this non-randomized, non-blinded trial, a Mediterranean diet-based program was linked to better cognitive scores and higher urinary BDNF levels in the intervention group. Because the study was not randomized or blinded, it cannot establish that the program prevents or treats Alzheimer's disease.
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Study details
- Participants58
- Effect size75.9%; 72.2%
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 42/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Nutrients) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Nutrients: journal h-index 331 (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 | 1 / 4 | 58 participants |
| Effect reported | 2 / 3 | Effect reported as a number, without an interval or test |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 1 / 2 | Blinded or placebo-controlled (as stated in the record) |
| Times cited | 1 / 7 | Cited 1 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 0 / 5 | 0.5 citations a year over 2 year(s) since 2026 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 4.7× 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 | 0 / 4 | Cited 1 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 1 / 4 | Last-listed author Manuel Díaz-Pérez: h-index 16 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | University of Almería: institution h-index 296 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 41978123) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 42 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Olmos, J. C. C., Hernández, M. M., Garrido, Á. A., Salinas, J. A., & Díaz-Pérez, M. (2026). Effects of a Mediterranean Diet-Based Program on Cognitive Decline: Non-Blinded Non-Randomized Controlled Trial of the CESPORT Program. Nutrients. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18071073
Vancouver
Olmos JCC, Hernández MM, Garrido ÁA, Salinas JA, Díaz-Pérez M. Effects of a Mediterranean Diet-Based Program on Cognitive Decline: Non-Blinded Non-Randomized Controlled Trial of the CESPORT Program. Nutrients. 2026. doi:10.3390/nu18071073. PMID: 41978123.
BibTeX
@article{olmos2026-41978123,
author = {Olmos, Juan Carlos Checa and Hernández, Montserrat Monserrat and Garrido, Ángeles Arjona and Salinas, José Antonio and Díaz-Pérez, Manuel},
title = {{Effects of a Mediterranean Diet-Based Program on Cognitive Decline: Non-Blinded Non-Randomized Controlled Trial of the CESPORT Program}},
journal = {Nutrients},
year = {2026},
doi = {10.3390/nu18071073},
pmid = {41978123},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18071073}
}
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