Abstract WMP24: Association of the Mediterranean Diet With White Matter Integrity Among Hispanics/Latinos. Results From the Study of Latinos-Investigation of Neurocognitive Aging-MRI Ancillary Study

Abstract

Objective: Investigate the association between adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (MeDi) and white matter (WM) integrity among Hispanic/Latino adults. Background: High adherence to a MeDi was associated with better cognitive performance and decreased memory decline among Hispanic or Latino adults. Methods: We included 2,342 participants from the Study of Latinos-Investigation of Neurocognitive Aging-MRI Ancillary Study. Participants completed 24-hour dietary recalls at baseline (2008-2011) which were used to calculate a MeDi score (MeDiS). Brain MRI and diffusion tensor images were collected between 2018 and 2022 on a 3T MRI scanner using a standardized protocol. WM integrity was ascertained using WM hyperintensity (WMH) volume, fractional anisotropy (FA), and peak skeletonized mean diffusivity (PSMD). WMH volumes were residualized for total cranial volume and Ln-transformed prior to analysis. The association of MRI outcomes with MeDiS was investigated using weighted linear regression analysis with complex survey design adjusting for age, sex, sociodemographic characteristics, and Framingham Risk Score. Results: Mean age (95% CI) at MRI scan was 64.03 (63.1 - 64.9) and 44% were males. Mean MeDiS was 5.05 (4.92 - 5.17). In our fully adjusted model, increasing MeDiS was associated with decreased LnWMH volume (β=-0.07, 95% CI -0.10 to -0.03) and PSMD (β=-0.004, 95% CI -0.006 to -0.002), and increasing FA (β=0.002, 95% CI 0.001 to 0.003). When participants were grouped by background, the results were retained for all the groups except for Puerto Ricans and Mexicans. Conclusions: Among diverse Hispanic/Latino adults, high MeDi adherence was associated with preserved WM integrity. Since our preliminary results were retained after adjustment for Framingham Risk Score, this suggests that vascular mechanisms do not fully account for the observed associations. In addition, our results highlight that the results obtained in selected cohorts may not be generalizable to other Hispanic/Latino heritages. A culturally tailored MeDi may preserve brain health among Hispanic/Latino adults.