Brain foods - the role of diet in brain performance and health
Review article, 2021

The performance of the human brain is based on an interplay between the inherited genotype and external environmental factors, including diet. Food and nutrition, essential in maintenance of brain performance, also aid in prevention and treatment of mental disorders. Both the overall composition of the human diet and specific dietary components have been shown to have an impact on brain function in various experimental models and epidemiological studies. This narrative review provides an overview of the role of diet in 5 key areas of brain function related to mental health and performance, including: (1) brain development, (2) signaling networks and neurotransmitters in the brain, (3) cognition and memory, (4) the balance between protein formation and degradation, and (5) deteriorative effects due to chronic inflammatory processes. Finally, the role of diet in epigenetic regulation of brain physiology is discussed.

signaling

cognition

proteostasis

epigenetics

inflammation

diet

Brain

Author

Bo Ekstrand

Chalmers, Biology and Biological Engineering, Food and Nutrition Science

Nathalie Scheers

Chalmers, Biology and Biological Engineering, Food and Nutrition Science

Martin Krøyer Rasmussen

Aarhus University

Jette Feveile Young

Aarhus University

Alastair Ross

AgResearch Lincoln

Chalmers, Biology and Biological Engineering, Food and Nutrition Science

Rikard Landberg

Chalmers, Biology and Biological Engineering, Food and Nutrition Science

Nutrition Reviews

0029-6643 (ISSN) 17534887 (eISSN)

Vol. 79 6 693-708

Subject Categories

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Nutrition and Dietetics

DOI

10.1093/nutrit/nuaa091

PubMed

32989449

More information

Latest update

8/2/2021 7