Our latest studies show that a Western-style diet triggers changes in the brain that may predispose people to Alzheimer’s disease decades before they show any sign of cognitive decline -- and that a Mediterranean-style diet is protective against those changes! The Alzheimer’s-related changes were worse in patients who also had reduced insulin sensitivity, and were independent of exercise and intellectual activity. In other words, when people are in their 40s and 50s, diet seems to exert a stronger influence on Alzheimer’s risk than exercise or intellectual activity do. Here's the link.