Research topic
Nutrient Roles in the Onset, Prevention, and Treatment of Chronic and Neurodegenerative Diseases: Mechanistic and Epidemiological Insights
Background
Chronic diseases (CDs) such as neurodegenerative disorders affect millions of people worldwide. Chronic diseases, commonly referred to as non-communicable diseases (NCDs), were responsible for at least 43 million deaths, accounting for 75% of non-pandemic-related deaths globally in 2021.
Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) affect the lifestyle of people for many years before death. Currently, 55 million people worldwide live with dementia; this number is expected to reach 139 million by 2050. The latest data on NDs show that the prevalence of dementia doubles every 5 years after the age of 60 years. Among dementias, Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a fatal ND that accounts for approximately 70% of all dementia cases, making it an urgent and increasing global challenge. Furthermore, more than 10 million people worldwide are estimated to be living with Parkinson’s Disease (PD).
Emerging evidence highlights that nutrition plays a critical role in the onset, prevention, and treatment of these diseases, with dietary patterns influencing both risk and progression.
The goal of this Research Topic is at multiple levels. There is a clear and urgent need to better understand which mechanisms related to the onset and progression of CDs and NDs are modifiable by nutritional approaches, and how nutrients and lifestyle choices play a role in the onset, progression and amelioration of these diseases. Further, the efficacy of novel food-based approaches needs better investigation. Finally, there is a clear need for identification of patient subgroups to implement personalised nutrition strategies. Unravelling these connections could open new avenues for millions worldwide for early prevention strategies, targeted therapies, and improved quality of life.
The scope of this Research Topic is dual – ranging from bottom-up to top-down. The bottom-up approach emphasizes a mechanistic understanding of the development of CDs and NDs with a focus on the role of specific nutrients in etiology, prevention, and progression. Conversely, the top-down perspective welcomes epidemiological studies of these diseases linking them to diet, exercise and other lifestyle factors, and examining their impact on quality of life and overall mortality. Together, these approaches converge to provide readership with a comprehensive view of how nutrients, nutritional interventions, and lifestyle shape disease development of these diseases.
Non-communicable diseases (NCD), particularly cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and neurodegenerative diseases (ND), remain leading causes of global morbidity and mortality. Although traditionally studied in isolation, accumulating evidence indicates that these conditions are mechanistically interconnected through shared pathways, including chronic systemic inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, and dysregulated lipid metabolism. Here, we propose a cardio–neuro axis in which vascular and neurodegenerative processes are linked along a continuum that is modifiable through diet. In this perspective, we synthesise evidence linking inflammatory and neurovascular dysfunction across CVD and ND and argue that nutrition represents a primary, yet under-integrated, lever for targeting these shared mechanisms. We focus on dietary patterns and bioactive components that influence inflammation resolution, endothelial function, and metabolic homeostasis. However, despite strong mechanistic rationale, nutritional strategies for ND remain fragmented, with an overreliance on single-nutrient interventions and limited incorporation of vascular endpoints or mechanistic biomarkers. We contend that progress in this field requires a shift from reductionist approaches toward whole-diet interventions evaluated using integrated cardio-neuro outcomes, alongside stratified and personalised designs. Embedding nutrition within a unified cardio-neuro framework earlier in life may offer a scalable and mechanistically grounded strategy to reduce the burden of NCD across the life course.
