Home › Research › Prevention trials
Mediterranean Diet, Polyphenols, and Neuroprotection: Mechanistic Insights into Resveratrol and Oleuropein
Mónika Fekete, Tamás Jarecsny, Andrea Lehoczki, Dávid Major, Vince Fazekas‐Pongor, Tamás Csípő, Ágnes Lipécz, Ágnes Szappanos et al.. Nutrients, 2025-12-16
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Epidemiological studies suggest that higher MedDiet adherence is associated with slower cognitive decline, reduced conversion from mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer’s disease, and better motor and non-motor outcomes in Parkinson’s disease. Mechanistically, the MedDiet modulates oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, mitochondrial function, vascular health, and the gut–brain axis. Polyphenols such as resveratrol and oleuropein exert neuroprotective effects through antioxidant activity, modulation of amyloid aggregation, mitochondrial biogenesis, and activation of signaling pathways (e.g., SIRT1). Clinical studies, although limited, indicate beneficial effects of polyphenol-rich interventions on cognitive and metabolic biomarkers. Current evidence supports the Mediterranean diet as a promising dietary strategy to slow the progression of neurodegenerative diseases. Polyphenols, including resveratrol and oleuropein, may play a role in mediating these effects. Further well-designed, long-term clinical trials are needed to establish causal relationships, optimize dosage, and explore biomarker-driven personalized nutrition approaches.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Fekete, M., Jarecsny, T., Lehoczki, A., Major, D., Fazekas‐Pongor, V., Csípő, T., et al. (2025). Mediterranean Diet, Polyphenols, and Neuroprotection: Mechanistic Insights into Resveratrol and Oleuropein. Nutrients. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17243929
Vancouver
Fekete M, Jarecsny T, Lehoczki A, Major D, Fazekas‐Pongor V, Csípő T, et al. Mediterranean Diet, Polyphenols, and Neuroprotection: Mechanistic Insights into Resveratrol and Oleuropein. Nutrients. 2025. doi:10.3390/nu17243929. PMID: 41470875.
BibTeX
@article{fekete2025-41470875,
author = {Fekete, Mónika and Jarecsny, Tamás and Lehoczki, Andrea and Major, Dávid and Fazekas‐Pongor, Vince and Csípő, Tamás and Lipécz, Ágnes and Szappanos, Ágnes and others},
title = {{Mediterranean Diet, Polyphenols, and Neuroprotection: Mechanistic Insights into Resveratrol and Oleuropein}},
journal = {Nutrients},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.3390/nu17243929},
pmid = {41470875},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17243929}
}
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
- Epidemiological studies suggest that higher MedDiet adherence is associated with slower cognitive decline, reduced conversion from mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer’s disease, and better motor and non-motor outcomes in Parkinson’s disease.
- Mechanistically, the MedDiet modulates oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, mitochondrial function, vascular health, and the gut–brain axis.
- Polyphenols such as resveratrol and oleuropein exert neuroprotective effects through antioxidant activity, modulation of amyloid aggregation, mitochondrial biogenesis, and activation of signaling pathways (e.g., SIRT1).
- Clinical studies, although limited, indicate beneficial effects of polyphenol-rich interventions on cognitive and metabolic biomarkers.
- Current evidence supports the Mediterranean diet as a promising dietary strategy to slow the progression of neurodegenerative diseases.
Why it matters
This review reports that Mediterranean diet adherence is linked to slower cognitive decline and that polyphenols such as resveratrol and oleuropein may contribute through antioxidant and other effects. Clinical studies are limited, and the authors call for long-term trials before any causal or treatment claim can be made.
New to this subject? Start with our plain-English guide: Prevention →
Study details
- Study designnarrative review
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 44/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded 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 | Design recorded as “narrative review”, which our rubric does not rank (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 | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 3 / 7 | Cited 23 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 7.7 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 19.5× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 1 / 6 | Cited by 1 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 23 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Janos Tamas Varga: h-index 27 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | Semmelweis University: institution h-index 516 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 41470875) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 44 / 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).
Studies this one cites
Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here. Showing 12 of 22.
Later studies that cite this one
1 study in the alzhub library lists this one in its references.
Related studies in Prevention trials
Also tagged “tdp-43”
1,150 studies in the library carry the topic tag “tdp-43”; these are this study's neighbours in a fixed, alphabetical-by-hash tour of them, not the closest in content. All 1,150 tagged studies.