The Theoretical Intersection of Plant-Based Diets, Alzheimer's, and Cardiovascular Disease.
VanCleef TR, Jones EJ
Summary
8.0/10Plant-based diets may reduce the risk of both Alzheimer's disease and cardiovascular disease in older adults by addressing shared biological pathways including inflammation, gut microbiota health, and metabolic dysfunction.
Key Findings
Plant-based diets may address common risk factors underlying both Alzheimer's disease and cardiovascular disease through six integrated biological mechanisms
Research on plant-based diets specifically in older adults is limited, particularly regarding the overlap between cardiovascular and neurological disease development
Six interconnected pathways—vascular hypothesis, microbiota-gut-brain axis, neurovascular unit function, antioxidant capacity, metabolic syndrome, and mitochondrial health—explain how dietary plant compounds may benefit both conditions
Original Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) are significant health concerns for older adults globally. Plant-based diets (PBDs) are a potential non-invasive lifestyle strategy to address the risk factors common to both conditions. Research on plant-based diets and older adults is limited, especially when it comes to the overlap between the development of CVD and AD. This theoretical paper examines the relationships between PBDs, AD, and CVD through the integration of six theories and concepts: the vascular hypothesis, microbiota-gut-brain axis (MGBA) theory, neurovascular unit (NVU) theory, antioxidant theory, metabolic syndrome (MetS), and mitochondrial dysfunction. By integrating these theories and concepts, a comprehensive model is provided for understanding how plant-based diets may mitigate both AD and CVD through shared pathophysiological pathways.