Shull 1

Effects of Lifestyle and Diet on White Matter Disease

Cameron Shull
Chapin High School
May 10, 2016

Shull 2

How does Lifestyle and Diet Affect White Matter Disease

Cameron Shull, 117 Lake Hilton Dr. Chapin, SC 29036
Chapin High School, Chapin, South Carolina
Teacher: Mrs. Lisa Maylath of Chapin High School
This study addresses the question How does the diet and lifestyle affect the symptoms of white
matter disease? and the hypothesis is that they healthier the lifestyle and diet are, the less
symptoms that will occur. By collecting data through the subject tracking their diet, blood
pressure, weight, hours of sleep, and amount of exercise, and another person rating the memory
and shaking every day. The goal of this study was to find out how the degree of symptoms can
become less if the diet and lifestyle become more regulated and healthier. Ultimately the project
ended up showing that diet and lifestyle affect the symptoms that come along with white matter
disease. It was a three week long study, and it was predicted that as the diet and lifestyle become
healthier, symptoms will decrease. The data was collected and analyzed through an ANOVA test.
The p-value for weight was .000003, the p-value for shaking was .0000015, and the p-value for
memory was .0000139, proving that the diet and lifestyle have a significant effect on the memory
and shaking. This study ended up being statistically significant.

Shull 3

Abstract2
Table of Contents.3
Introduction and Background..4
Materials and Methods.6
Test Results..7
Discussions and Conclusions...8
Diet...9
Acknowledgments..11
References..12

Shull 4

INTRODUCTION
White matter itself is defined as nerve tissue, especially of the brain and spinal cord,
which primarily contains myelinated fibers and is nearly white in color [1]. The disease is
where the occurrence of the white matter in the brain leads to problems including lack of
coordination, poor muscle control, and having a harder time remembering [2]. There is no
percentage as to how many Americans are aware of what white matter disease is, but Dr. Floyd
of Lexington Medical Center says that not many know what it is to begin with so they dont
know what symptoms to look for. Awareness of the disease would lead to better lifestyles in
hopes of preventing the white matter from occurring in the brain. White matter disease can lead
to dementia and eventually Alzheimers [5]. The symptoms include having a hard time
remembering, cognitive delays, and sensory and motor problems.
By doing a study with a subject that already has white matter disease that was diagnosed
through an MRI; I will see how diet and lifestyle impact the symptoms that come along with
white matter disease. The subject will follow a specific diet and lifestyle in which will go along
with the recommended lifestyle and diet for someone with white matter disease.
Studies that have been done on white matter disease have led to the conclusion that it can
lead to higher risks of strokes, Alzheimers, and dementia [3]. A study has been done on the diet
that is best for reducing the symptoms of white matter disease and it is the Mediterranean diet
which consists of vegetables, legumes, fruits, and olive oils and containing no dairy or red meat.
It has shown that it lowers the white matter volume of hyperintensity [4].
As shown in figure 1, it is visible that the white matter looks like fatty tissue in the brain.
That is a myelin sheath layer that is what gets in the way of the information traveling as quickly

Shull 5

as it can. Figure 2 shows how white matter appears in both the spinal cord and the frontal section
of the brain. When its in the spinal cord, that is what affects the motor skills.

Figure
1

Cnx.org
Figure 2

http://classroom.sdmesa.edu/

Shull 6

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study was done through getting a subject that had already been diagnosed with white
matter disease through an MRI and following his lifestyle and diet. The subject had a 3 week
plan that would change every week. The first week, the subject would eat whatever he wanted,
sleep less than 7 hours a night, and not exercise at all. The second week he was to follow the
correct diet somewhat, but not completely, about half, get 7 hours of sleep, and get 15 minutes
of exercise a day. The third week he was to follow a strict diet, get 8 hours of sleep, and exercise
for 30 minutes a day. The subjects significant other, which lives with him permanently, rated his
memory and shaking on a daily basis, wrote down everything the subject ate, recorded his
weight, and his blood pressure. After the results were obtained, an ANOVA test was run. For
shaking and memory, the scale was from 1 to 10. Memory, the 1 was couldnt remember
anything, and 10 was could remember everything quickly. For shaking, 1 was no shaking and 10
was shaking continuously.

Shull 7

TEST RESULTS
After the results were obtained from the 3 weeks, an ANOVA test was done on the
weight, memory, and shaking. The P-value for weight was .000003, the p-value for memory
was .0000139, and the p-value for shaking was .0000015. With all the p-values being
significantly less than .05, it was proven that this study was statistically significant. The study
shows that the better you eat and the healthier lifestyle someone has, directly impacts them
especially if they have white matter disease. The subject discussed that he felt better in the third
week than he did in the first, which I contribute a lot to the diet and exercise. The subject lost a
significant amount of weight in a 3 week span throughout this study.

Shull 8

DISCUSSIONS AND CONCLUSIONS

With the p-values being so small, it shows that the lifestyle and diet do directly affect the
symptoms that come along with white matter disease. The study could be done on more subjects
to make it even more significant.

Shull 9

DIET
This is a small sample that shows how the diet, weight, blood pressure, shaking, and
memory were documented.

Shull 10

This figure shows all 3 weeks into one smaller document.

Shull 11

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Id like to thank my grandmother for helping me get this project going by doing countless
hours of research. Id also like to thank Dr. Floyd from Lexington Medical Center for spending
over an hour with me just answering the questions that I had about white matter disease and all
the ways to help with it.

Shull 12

REFRENCES
[1] Definition of White Matter. (n.d.). Retrieved November 19, 2015, from
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/white-matter
[2] What is White Matter Disease? (n.d.). Retrieved November 19, 2015, from
http://www.wisegeekhealth.com/what-is-white-matter-disease.htm
[3] White matter disease exacts heavy toll, increasing risk of stroke, Alzheimer's, dementia.
(2014, February 24). Retrieved November 20, 2015, from
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/02/140224204806.htm
[4] Mediterranean Diet Lowers White Matter Hyperintensity Volume. (2012, February 15).
Retrieved November 20, 2015, from www.medscape.com/viewarticle/758705
[5] What is white matter disease? It might be a cause of vascular dementia. (2014, October 30).
Retrieved from http://www.uhn.ca/corporate/News/Pages/what_is_white_matter_disease.aspx