New insights into nutrition and cognitive neuroscience

Abstract

Nutrition can affect the brain throughout the life cycle, with profound implications for mental health and degenerative disease. Many aspects of nutrition, from entire diets to specific nutrients, affect brain structure and function. The present short review focuses on recent insights into the role of nutrition in cognition and mental health and is divided into four main sections. First, the importance of nutritional balance and nutrient interactions to brain health are considered by reference to the Mediterranean diet, energy balance, fatty acids and trace elements. Many factors modulate the effects of nutrition on brain health and inconsistencies between studies can be explained in part by differences in early environment and genetic variability. Thus, these two factors are considered in the second and third parts of the present review. Finally, recent findings on mechanisms underlying the actions of nutrition on the brain are considered. These mechanisms involve changes in neurotrophic factors, neural pathways and brain plasticity. Advances in understanding the critical role of nutrition in brain health will help to fulfil the potential of nutrition to optimise brain function, prevent dysfunction and treat disease.Brain function and cognition: Early development: Mental health and disease:Nutrigenomics and nutrigeneticsThe role of nutrition in cognitive neuroscience is complex because, as with all aspects of nutrition, it is multifactorial. The concern is not simply with the impact of a single chemical on the brain but with multiple nutrients, metabolites and interacting factors. Nevertheless, despite many controversies, themes are emerging and underlying mechanisms are being elucidated. This position is in part a result of major advances in many areas of the biological sciences and the development of new techniques in molecular biology and brain imaging. Cognition refers to the mental processes involved in acquiring knowledge and the integration of these processes into responses such as learning, attention, memory, intelligence (intelligence quotient; IQ) and consciousness. Many aspects of nutrition, from entire diets to individual nutrients, have been implicated in cognition, mental health, dysfunction and disease (1)(2)(3)(4)(5) . It is not surprising that nutrition affects cognition and mental health because brain structure and function are ultimately dependent on nutritional input. However, it is difficult to assess the precise actions of specific dietary components because individuals eat foods and diets, not individual nutrients. Nevertheless, numerous studies have shown that many aspects of cognition are affected by nutrition, including memory, IQ, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, dyslexia, depression, schizophrenia, dementia, Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease (1)(2)(3)(4)(5) .In recent years advances have been made in several key areas of nutrition and cognitive neuroscience. Nutritional interactions and the balance between specific nutritional components are recognised to be of cri...

Recent advances in nutrition, genes and brain health

“…Considerable evidence links physical activity and optimal energy intake with improved mood and cognitive function, whereas both underweight and obesity are associated with impaired cognitive performance (1,2,(46)(47)(48) . Studies on the psychotherapy eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing raise the possibility that outdoor activity such as walking may be especially beneficial for mental health and well-being.…”

“…These act as nutritional sensors to influence brain structure and function via changes in gene expression. Molecules such as glucocorticoids, thyroid hormones, insulin, insulin-like growth factors and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) are involved in multiple cell-signalling systems and neural networks that mediate the actions of energy on brain health (1,2,24,52) . Recent advances in elucidating the role of BDNF in neurological and mental health disorders are especially important (53) .…”

“…Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is a naturally occurring form of prenatal undernutrition, with several different causes, that reflects a reduction in nutrient supply to the fetus. Infants born small-for-gestational age, especially when they are also preterm, are at major risk of impaired neurodevelopment, multiple cognitive deficits, mental health problems and schizophrenia in later life (1,2,(82)(83)(84) . Findings on epigenetic changes induced by prenatal famine exposure (81) raise the possibility that similar changes are induced by IUGR.…”

“…Many nutrients, foods and diets are implicated in brain health (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8) . These include macronutrients, micronutrients, phytochemicals, the Mediterranean diet and energy status, i.e.…”

Experiencias pedagógicas en educación alimentaria y nutricional y la promoción de la salud, en instituciones educativas del Estado Miranda-Venezuela

“…Ya que muchos aspectos de la cognición se ven afectados por la nutrición, incluyendo la memoria, el trastorno por déficit de atención con hiperactividad y la dislexia, (Dauncey, 2009), Adicionalmente influye sobre el desarrollo motor, limita el desarrollo social y emocional del niño (Jukes 2006, Rosales, Reznick y Zeisel, 2009.…”