Higher meat intake may slow cognitive decline in older adults with APOE ε4

A long-term Swedish cohort study suggests that the link between meat intake and brain aging may depend on APOE genotype, with potentially more favorable cognitive trajectories seen in older adults carrying ε4 risk variants.

Higher total meat intake was associated with slower cognitive decline in older adults with APOE ε3/ε4 or ε4/ε4 genotypes.

The same association was not seen in the non-APOE ε3/ε4 or ε4/ε4 group, suggesting that genotype may modify the relationship between meat intake and cognitive outcomes.

Because this was an observational study, the findings show association rather than proof that meat intake caused the differences.