Adherence to the Mind Diet and Onset of Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder: A Case-Control Study Publisher Pubmed



Khodadadi S ; Rezaeimanesh N ; Noormohammadi M ; Razeghi Jahromi S ; Sahraian MA ; Naser Moghadasi A
Source: Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders Published:2026

Abstract

Introduction: The MIND diet (Mediterranean–DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay), which combines the Mediterranean and DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diets, improves brain function and may help postpone the onset of neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS), Alzheimer's disease (AD), and Parkinson's disease (PD). This study aimed to evaluate the association between the MIND diet and the onset of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD), a rare autoimmune disease affecting the central nervous system. Methods: This hospital-based case-control study included 68 patients with NMOSD and 136 controls. Data on anthropometry, dietary intake, and demographics for the year prior to enrollment were gathered using a validated 168-item semi-quantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ). The MIND diet score was calculated based on data collected by a certified nutritionist. A logistic regression model was used to investigate the association between MIND diet adherence and the onset of NMOSD. The effect sizes are presented as adjusted odds ratios (AORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: Higher adherence to the MIND diet was significantly associated with a lower risk of NMOSD. Compared with the lowest tertile (T1), participants in T2 (AOR = 0.18; 95% CI: 0.03–0.89) and T3 (AOR = 0.23; 95% CI: 0.06–0.82) had lower odds of NMOSD. Consumption of green leafy vegetables (AOR = 0.14, 95% CI = 0.03–0.62), beans (AOR = 0.20, 95% CI = 0.05–0.87), whole grains (AOR = 0.06, 95% CI = 0.01–0.32), olive oil (AOR = 0.05, 95% CI = 0.01–0.24), and poultry (AOR <0.01, 95% CI = 0.00-0.01) was inversely associated with a lower risk of NMOSD across the third tertiles. Furthermore, berries (AOR = 0.40, 95% CI = 0.19–0.84) and other vegetables (AOR = 0.42, 95% CI = 0.20–0.87) showed a significant inverse association in T2 as compared to T1. Conclusion: The MIND diet and some of its brain-healthy food group components, including green leafy vegetables, other vegetables, whole grains, beans, olive oil, berries, and poultry, seem to decrease the odds of NMOSD. © 2025