@article {139,
	title = {Mediterranean diet and white matter hyperintensity volume in the Northern Manhattan Study.},
	journal = {Arch Neurol},
	volume = {69},
	year = {2012},
	month = {2012 Feb},
	pages = {251-6},
	abstract = {OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between a Mediterranean-style diet (MeDi) and brain magnetic resonance imaging white matter hyperintensity volume (WMHV).

DESIGN: A cross-sectional analysis within a longitudinal population-based cohort study. A semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire was administered, and a score (range, 0-9) was calculated to reflect increasing similarity to the MeDi pattern.

SETTING: The Northern Manhattan Study.

PARTICIPANTS: A total of 1091 participants, of whom 966 had dietary information (mean age, 72 years; 59.3\% women, 64.6\% Hispanic, 15.6\% white, and 17.5\% black).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The WMHV was measured by quantitative brain magnetic resonance imaging. Linear regression models were constructed to examine the association between the MeDi score and the log-transformed WMHV as a proportion of total cranial volume, controlling for sociodemographic and vascular risk factors.

RESULTS: On the MeDi scale, 11.6\% scored 0 to 2, 15.8\% scored 3, 23.0\% scored 4, 23.5\% scored 5, and 26.1\% scored 6 to 9. Each 1-point increase in MeDi score was associated with a lower log WMHV (β~=~-.04, P~=~.01). The only MeDi score component that was an independent predictor of WMHV was the ratio of monounsaturated to saturated fat (β~=~-.20, P~=~.001).

CONCLUSIONS: A MeDi was associated with a lower WMHV burden, a marker of small vessel damage in the brain. However, white matter hyperintensities are etiologically heterogenous and can include neurodegeneration. Replication by other population-based studies is needed.},
	keywords = {Age Factors, Aged, Blood Pressure, Body Mass Index, Brain, Cerebral Small Vessel Diseases, Cohort Studies, Cross-Sectional Studies, Data Interpretation, Statistical, Diabetes Mellitus, Diet, Mediterranean, Female, Food Habits, Humans, Life Style, Lipids, Longitudinal Studies, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Middle Aged, Motor Activity, New York City, Risk Factors, Risk Reduction Behavior, Socioeconomic Factors, Vascular Diseases},
	issn = {1538-3687},
	doi = {10.1001/archneurol.2011.548},
	author = {Gardener, Hannah and Scarmeas, Nikolaos and Gu, Yian and Boden-Albala, Bernadette and Elkind, Mitchell S V and Sacco, Ralph L and DeCarli, Charles and Wright, Clinton B}
}
