Mediterranean diet may activate tiny proteins that protect the heart and brain

A Mediterranean-style diet may influence aging through an unexpected biological pathway involving tiny proteins produced inside mitochondria, according to a new study led by researchers at the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology.

Mitochondria are best known as the structures that generate energy inside cells, but scientists increasingly recognize that they also release chemical signals that affect metabolism, inflammation, stress responses, and aging.

The researchers found that older adults who followed a Mediterranean diet most closely had higher blood levels of two mitochondrial microproteins called humanin and SHMOOSE. Both have previously been associated with protection against cardiovascular disease and neurodegeneration, the gradual loss of nerve cell function seen in conditions such as Alzheimer's disease.

The study was led by Roberto Vicinanza, an instructional associate professor of gerontology at the USC Leonard Davis School.