Die gehirnfördernden Wirkungen der Mittelmeerdiät könnten dadurch wirken, dass sie das Gleichgewicht der Darmbakterien verändern. Ratten, die „die Diät annahmen“, entwickelten deutlich unterschiedliche Darmbakterienmuster, die mit einem verbesserten Gedächtnis und einer verbesserten kognitiven Leistung korrelierten

>The study found that rats fed a Mediterranean-style diet rich in olive oil, fish and fiber over 14 weeks showed increases in four beneficial types of gut bacteria and decreases in five others compared to rats eating a Western diet high in saturated fats. These bacterial changes were linked to improved performance on maze challenges designed to test memory and learning.
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>Specifically, higher levels of bacteria such as Candidatus Saccharimonas were associated with better cognitive performance, while increased levels of other bacteria, such as Bifidobacterium, correlated with poorer memory function.
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>The Mediterranean diet group also showed better cognitive flexibility — the ability to adapt to new information — and improved working memory compared to the Western diet group. They maintained lower levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol.
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>This study is the first to assess the effects of the Mediterranean on microbiota and cognitive function outcomes relative to the Western diet in a rodent model. The researchers used young rats approximately equivalent in age to 18-year-old humans to model the effects of diet during a critical developmental period. **The diets were based on human consumption and used ingredients reflecting the complexity of human diets. The Mediterranean diet (MeDi) showed clear benefits for cognitive flexibility, memory, and gut health, suggesting potential parallels in young adults whose brains and bodies are still maturing.**

Paper: [Full article: Comparison between two divergent diets, Mediterranean and Western, on gut microbiota and cognitive function in young sprague dawley rats](https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/29933935.2024.2439490)