Characterization of a metabolomics signature of the brain-health-promoting MIND diet in older persons

@article{neuffer2026characterization,
  title = {{Characterization of a metabolomics signature of the brain-health-promoting MIND diet in older persons}},
  author = {Jeanne Neuffer and Raúl González-Domínguez and Sophie Lefèvre-Arbogast and Dorrain Low and Alba Tor-Roca and Catherine Helmer and Andrea Du Preez and Chiara de Lucia and Silvie Ruigrok and Barbara Altendorfer and Ludwig Aigner and Paul Lucassen and Aniko Korosi and Sandrine Thuret and Claudine Manach and Mercè Pallàs and Alex Sánchez-Pla and Cristina Andres-Lacueva and Mireia Urpi-Sarda and Cécilia Samieri},
  journal = {The Journal of prevention of Alzheimer's disease},
  year = {2026},
  month = sep,
  doi = {10.1016/j.tjpad.2026.100670},
  url = {https://hal.science/hal-05750068v1},
  note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}

TY  - JOUR
TI  - Characterization of a metabolomics signature of the brain-health-promoting MIND diet in older persons
AU  - Jeanne Neuffer
AU  - Raúl González-Domínguez
AU  - Sophie Lefèvre-Arbogast
AU  - Dorrain Low
AU  - Alba Tor-Roca
AU  - Catherine Helmer
AU  - Andrea Du Preez
AU  - Chiara de Lucia
AU  - Silvie Ruigrok
AU  - Barbara Altendorfer
AU  - Ludwig Aigner
AU  - Paul Lucassen
AU  - Aniko Korosi
AU  - Sandrine Thuret
AU  - Claudine Manach
AU  - Mercè Pallàs
AU  - Alex Sánchez-Pla
AU  - Cristina Andres-Lacueva
AU  - Mireia Urpi-Sarda
AU  - Cécilia Samieri
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/09/15
JO  - The Journal of prevention of Alzheimer's disease
DO  - 10.1016/j.tjpad.2026.100670
UR  - https://hal.science/hal-05750068v1
AB  - BACKGROUND: The MIND diet supports healthy cognitive aging. Yet, a challenge remains to identify individuals who do not adhere to the MIND and could be at risk for accelerated cognitive decline. A multi-metabolite biomarker panel could facilitate population screening. OBJECTIVES: To determine and validate a blood metabolomics signature of MIND adherence in a large cohort of older adults, and to estimate its association with subsequent cognitive decline. DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Participants were older adults (≥65 years) from the population-based three-City (3C) cohort, free of dementia at study baseline and followed for up to 12 years for cognition, who were included in two case-control samples on cognitive decline nested within two centers (Bordeaux and Dijon cities, n = 838). EXPOSURES: 155 diet-related serum metabolites measured with a multianalyte metabolomics platform. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASUREMENTS: The primary outcome was adherence to the MIND diet, assessed in a subsample of 344 participants from Bordeaux center (which underwent the dietary surveys, 24 h recall and food-frequency questionnaire). A metabolomics signature of MIND diet adherence was characterized with penalized regression and a metabolomics score ("metaboscore") reflecting the overall MIND biological fingerprint was calculated. The secondary outcome was cognitive decline status (coded as binary: accelerated, vs. null or minimal decline) over follow-up, assessed using repeated cognitive measures in the two case-control samples. The metaboscore was reconstructed and linked to the odds of cognitive decline. RESULTS: Eight metabolites were identified: three were associated with higher MIND adherence (3-hydroxyhippuric acid, 5-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid, betaine - phenolic acids and amino acid related to plant foods) and five with lower MIND adherence (1-methylhistidine from red meat; cyclo(L-leucyl-L-prolyl) from coffee; tartaric acid from wine; myristoyl-carnitine and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, endogenous). The French-MIND metaboscore was linked to lower odds of cognitive decline, although replication was not statistically significant after multivariable adjustment. CONCLUSION: A novel metabolomic signature of the MIND diet was characterized, which may help screen older adults at risk of poor brain nutrition and could support personalized dietary prevention strategies.
SN  - 2274-5807
SN  - 2426-0266
ER  -