Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42494770›Full record

ReviewFrontiers in nutrition2026

Dietary approaches to support cognition in older adults: a systematic review.

Britton Woolsey, Keya Sen

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review 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

2 authors.

Britton WoolseySchool of Health Administration, College of Health Professions, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX, United States.
Keya SenSchool of Health Administration, College of Health Professions, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX, United States.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Older adults, particularly those residing in long-term care, experience disproportionate rates of cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease (AD). While isolated nutrient supplementation has demonstrated limited clinical efficacy, comprehensive whole-food dietary patterns may offer significant neuroprotective benefits through complex nutrient synergy. This systematic review evaluates the efficacy of the Mediterranean, Nordic, Okinawan, and plant-based dietary approaches in mitigating cognitive decline and reducing dementia risk in older populations. Methods: The study protocol was prospectively registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) under the registration ID CRD420261349593. Conducted in accordance with PRISMA 2020 guidelines, a systematic search of PubMed, Web of Science, CINAHL, and ScienceDirect was performed to identify peer-reviewed articles published between January 2021 and the present. Eligible studies included randomized controlled trials (RCT), prospective cohort studies, and longitudinal studies evaluating the impact of whole-food dietary patterns on cognitive outcomes in adults aged 60 and older. Results: Out of 622 initial records, 16 articles met all inclusion criteria. The synthesized evidence demonstrates that high adherence to these comprehensive dietary patterns is consistently associated with improved memory, enhanced executive function, and a reduced incidence of AD. These cognitive improvements are driven by interconnected physiological mechanisms, including reduced systemic inflammation, improved vascular integrity, favorable shifts in the gut microbiome, and optimized circulating endocannabinoid profiles. Additionally, the magnitude of these benefits is frequently modulated by individual biological factors, such as sex and APOE genotype. Conclusion: Whole-food dietary patterns provide an effective, evidence-based framework for preserving cognitive resilience compared to single-nutrient interventions. Integrating these nutrient-dense diets into public health initiatives and long-term care settings offers a powerful strategy for neuroprotection, highlighting the need to advance personalized nutrition strategies in future clinical trials.

Indexed as

alzheimer's diseasedementiadietary interventionshealthy agingpersonalized nutrition

Identifiers

PMID42494770
PMCPMC13391264

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.