Evidence mapPaperPMID 42137865Full record

ArticleFrontiers in nutrition2026

Adherence to the Mediterranean diet, inflammatory biomarkers and cognitive status in older Italian adults.

Margherita Grasso, Francesca L'Episcopo, Annamaria Fidilio, Marco Antonio Olvera-Moreira, Giuseppe Toscano, Stefano Muratore, Margherita Drago, Sabrina Musso, Veronica Bentivegna, Lucrezia Costanzo and 6 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in nutrition, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

16 authors.

Margherita GrassoOasi Research Institute-IRCCS, Troina, Italy.
Francesca L'EpiscopoOasi Research Institute-IRCCS, Troina, Italy.
Annamaria FidilioDepartment of Drug and Health Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
Marco Antonio Olvera-MoreiraCarrera de Medicina, Universidad Católica de Santiago de Guayaquil, Guayaquil, Ecuador.
Giuseppe ToscanoOasi Research Institute-IRCCS, Troina, Italy.
Stefano MuratoreOasi Research Institute-IRCCS, Troina, Italy.
Margherita DragoPrimary Health Care Unit, Provincial Health Authority of Enna, Enna, Italy.
Sabrina MussoOasi Research Institute-IRCCS, Troina, Italy.
Veronica BentivegnaOasi Research Institute-IRCCS, Troina, Italy.
Lucrezia CostanzoOasi Research Institute-IRCCS, Troina, Italy.
Melannie Toral-NoristzEscuela de Medicina, Universidad Espíritu Santo, Samborondón, Ecuador.
Raynier Zambrano-VillacresFacultad de Ciencias de la Salud y Desarrollo Humano, Universidad Ecotec, Samborondón, Ecuador.
Lisandra León BrizuelaUniversidad Internacional Iberoamericana, Campeche, Mexico.
Giuseppe LanzaOasi Research Institute-IRCCS, Troina, Italy.
Raffaele FerriOasi Research Institute-IRCCS, Troina, Italy.
Filippo CaraciOasi Research Institute-IRCCS, Troina, Italy.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

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.

Indexed as

diet qualityinflammationMediterranean dietmild cognitive impairmentneuroinflammation

Identifiers

PMID42137865
PMCPMC13170460

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.