# Genetic modifiers of the Mediterranean-DASH diet Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) response

> **NIH NIH R01** · NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY · 2022 · $168,812

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
Excess iron (Fe) deposition has been implicated in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Adherence to the Mediterranean-
DASH Diet Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) dietary pattern may reduce the rate of cognitive
decline and risk of AD. MIND is also relatively low in dietary Fe and rich in antioxidant and Fe-chelating
phytonutrients that, in turn, may protect against Fe-induced neurotoxicity. Dietary Fe poorly correlates with
biological levels partly due to diet measurement error, compensatory mechanisms, health status and genetic
factors. Genetic factors can serve as tools to understand mechanisms underlying the relationship between
MIND and AD and who especially benefit when adhering to this diet. Genome-wide association studies have
identified loci correlated with peripheral Fe that only partly overlap with those identified for brain quantitative
susceptibility mapping (QSM)-Fe; consistent with unique regulation of systemic and brain Fe. Whether these
loci associate with directly measured postmortem brain Fe is unclear.
R01AG065398 leverages the first MIND trial as well as existing community- and population-based data, to
examine how genetic differences in AD predisposition and select nutrient metabolism modify the response to
MIND. This Supplement extends this R01 to Fe and will be the first to i) investigate the genetic architecture of
peripheral Fe, brain QSM-Fe and postmortem brain Fe and ii) test the hypothesis that participants with
genetically inferred Fe dysregulation benefit the most when adhering to MIND compared to participants with
lower susceptibility profiles. Our research will provide mechanistic insights into the role that MIND may play in
slowing cognitive decline attributed to Fe and will also inform the implementation of MIND for optimal
effectiveness.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10579433
- **Project number:** 3R01AG065398-03S1
- **Recipient organization:** NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Marilyn C Cornelis
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $168,812
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2020-09-15 → 2025-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10579433

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10579433, Genetic modifiers of the Mediterranean-DASH diet Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) response (3R01AG065398-03S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10579433. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*