Nutrition and the Brain (S2E22) / by Mandy Wintink

For the second week of our Conversations with Neuroscience Students series, we discuss Nutrition and the Brain, which is a nice extension from what we talked about last week regarding Exercise and the Brain. There were many places we could have gone with this. What we did get into included the role of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (referred to as simply ‘BDNF' in the episode… and in neuroscience). We talked about toxins and diets and inflammation and even meandered into a discussion about social factors like food security and Canada’s new food guide. 

References:

Brooks, M., Brethel, K., Zehndorfer, , E., & McDonald, H. (2019, January 23). Dopamine . Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/basics/

Camacho, P., Jensen, S. K., Gaysina, D., & Barker, E. D. (2015). Maternal depression symptoms, unhealthy diet and child emotional–behavioural dysregulation. Psychological Medicine, 45, 1851-1860. doi:10.1017/S0033291714002955

Cherif, A., Roelands, B., Meeusen, R., & Chamari, K. (2016). Effects of intermittent fasting, caloric restriction, and ramadan intermittent fasting on cognitive performance at rest and during exercise in adults. Sports Medicine, 46(1), 35-47. doi:10.1007/s40279-015-0408-6 http://tinyurl.com/y7m7a7rh        

Francis, H., & Stevenson, R. (2013). The longer-term impacts of western diet on human cognition and the brain. Appetite, 63, 119-128. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2012.12.018 http://tinyurl.com/ybdkp8d7

Freeman, L. R., Haley-Zitlin, V., Rosenberger, D. S., & Granholm, A. (2014). Damaging effects of a high-fat diet to the brain and cognition: A review of proposed mechanisms.Nutritional Neuroscience, 17(6), 241-251. doi:10.1179/1476830513Y.0000000092 http://tinyurl.com/y8dx4guq

Georgieff, M. K. (2007). Nutrition and the developing brain: Nutrient priorities and measurement. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 85(2), 1st ser., 614-620. Retrieved from https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/85/2/614S/4649636.

Gomez-Pinilla, F. (2008). Brain foods: The effects of nutrients on brain function. Nat Rev Neurosci, 9(7), 568-578. Doi: 10.1038/nrn2421

Jennings, K., RD. (2017, May 9). 11 Best Foods to Boost Your Brain and Memory. Healthline. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/11-brain-foods

Mattson, M. P. (2019). An evolutionary perspective on why food overconsumption impairs cognition. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, doi:10.1016/j.tics.2019.01.003 http://tinyurl.com/y6u55ysm

Meeusen, R. (2014). Exercise, Nutrition and the Brain. Sports Medicine, 44(1), 47-56. Retrieved from https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-014-0150-5.

Méndez-López, M., Méndez, M., Arias, J., & Arias, J. L. (2015). Effects of a high protein diet on cognition and brain metabolism in cirrhotic rats. Physiology & Behavior, 149, 220-228. doi:10.1016/j.physbeh.2015.05.038 http://tinyurl.com/yabkzw24

O'Neil, A., Quirk, S. E., Housden, S., Brennan, S. L., Williams, L. J., Pasco, J. A., . . . Jacka, F. N. (2014). Relationship Between Diet and Mental Health in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review. Am J Public Health, 104(10), 31-42. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4167107/.

Prado, E. L., & Dewey, K. G. (2014). Nutrition and brain development in early life. Nutrition Revviews, 72(4), 267-284. Retrieved from https://academic.oup.com/nutritionreviews/article/72/4/267/1859597.

Radd-Vagenas, S., Duffy, S. L., Naismith, S. L., Brew, B. J., Flood, V. M., & Fiatarone Singh, M. A. (2018). Effect of the mediterranean diet on cognition and brain morphology and function: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 107(3), 389-404. doi:10.1093/ajcn/nqx070 http://tinyurl.com/y9ybrhyv

Selhub, E. (2018, April 05). Nutritional psychiatry: Your brain on food. Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/nutritional-psychiatry-your-brain-on-food-201511168626

Solianik, R., Sujeta, A., Terentjevienė, A., & Skurvydas, A. (2016). Effect of 48 h fasting on autonomic function, brain activity, cognition, and mood in amateur weight lifters. BioMed Research International, 2016, 1503956-8. doi:10.1155/2016/1503956 http://tinyurl.com/y8c6gh6x

Vauzour, D., Robles, M. C., Miquel-Kergoat, S., Andres-Lacueva, C., Bánáti, D., Barberger-Gateau, P., . . . Ramirez, M. (2016;2017;). Nutrition for the ageing brain: Towards evidence for an optimal diet. Ageing Research Reviews, 35, 222-240. doi:10.1016/j.arr.2016.09.010 http://tinyurl.com/ya99hr5k

Yeomans, M. R. (2017). Adverse effects of consuming high fat-sugar diets on cognition: Implications for understanding obesity. The Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 76(4), 455-465. doi:10.1017/S0029665117000805 http://tinyurl.com/ybvchq6q