Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) Diet in Stroke Patients Patients

The Mediterranean-DASH diet intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND in Stroke patients is designed to test the effects of a 2-3 year intervention of a hybrid of the Mediterranean and DASH diets, called MIND on 250 older patients, without dementia who are hospitalized for acute stroke who are discharged home following hospitalization. The MIND diet has the same basic components of the DASH and Mediterranean diets, such as emphasis on natural plant based foods and limited animal and high saturated fat foods, but uniquely specifies green leafy vegetable and berries as well as food component servings that reflect the nutrition dementia evidence. In this study we will test the effects of a 2- to 3-year intervention of the MIND diet (3 months of delivered meals followed by dietary and general stroke health counseling) versus usual post-stroke care (3 months delivered self-selected meals followed by general stroke health counseling) on change on cognitive outcomes over 24 to 36 months. Biological effects of the MIND diet will be assessed by measurement of brain macro and microstructural integrity in all trial participants. Other biochemical markers will be assessed in the entire group of 250 participants including: plasma Abeta42/beta40, brain derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) and plasma markers of oxidative stress and inflammation. The trial will examine potential effect mediators and modifiers by a number of cardiovascular risk factors, AD biomarkers and biological mechanisms. The proposed study has 3 recruitment sites, Rush University Medical Center, University of Chicago, and Advocate Christ Hospital all located in Chicago.