Impact of Diet on Learning, Memory and Cognition

Impact of Diet on Learning, Memory and Cognition PDF Author: Amy Claire Reichelt
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
ISBN: 288945228X
Category : Electronic book
Languages : en
Pages : 119

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Book Description
Changes in food composition and availability have contributed to the dramatic increase in obesity over the past 30-40 years in developed and, increasingly, in developing countries. The modern diet now contains many foods that are rich in saturated fat and refined sugar. People who eat excessive amounts of this diet are not only likely to become overweight, even obese, develop metabolic and cardiovascular diseases, some forms of cancer, but also undergo a more rapid rate of normal age-related cognitive decline and more rapid progression of neurological diseases such as dementia. A central problem is why people persist in consuming this diet in spite of its adverse health effects and when alternative food choices are available. As high fat / high sugar foods are inherently rewarding, eating for pleasure, like taking psychoactive drugs, can modulate reward neurocircuitry, causing changes in responsiveness to reward-predicting stimuli and incentive motivation. Indeed, the excessive ingestion in modern societies and the resulting obesity epidemic may be viewed as a form of food addiction. Thus, a diet high in palatable foods is proposed to impact upon reward systems in the brain, modulating appetitive learning and altering reward thresholds. Impairments in other forms of cognition have been associated with obesity, and these have a rapid onset. The hippocampus appears to be particularly vulnerable to the detrimental effects of high fat and high sugar diets. Recent research has shown that as little as one week of exposure to a high fat, high sugar diet leads to impairments in place but not object recognition memory in the rat. Excess sugar alone had similar effects, and the detrimental effects of diet consumption was linked to increased inflammatory markers in the hippocampus, a critical region involved in memory. Furthermore, obesity-related inflammatory changes have also been described in the human brain that may lead to memory impairments. These memory deficits may contribute to pathological eating behaviour through changes in the amount consumed and timing of eating. The aim of this eBook is to present up-to-date information about the impact of diet and diet-induced obesity on reward driven learning, memory and cognition, encompassing both animal and human literature, and also potential therapeutic targets to attenuate such deficits.

Impact of Diet on Learning, Memory and Cognition

Impact of Diet on Learning, Memory and Cognition PDF Author: Amy Claire Reichelt
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
ISBN: 288945228X
Category : Electronic book
Languages : en
Pages : 119

Get Book

Book Description
Changes in food composition and availability have contributed to the dramatic increase in obesity over the past 30-40 years in developed and, increasingly, in developing countries. The modern diet now contains many foods that are rich in saturated fat and refined sugar. People who eat excessive amounts of this diet are not only likely to become overweight, even obese, develop metabolic and cardiovascular diseases, some forms of cancer, but also undergo a more rapid rate of normal age-related cognitive decline and more rapid progression of neurological diseases such as dementia. A central problem is why people persist in consuming this diet in spite of its adverse health effects and when alternative food choices are available. As high fat / high sugar foods are inherently rewarding, eating for pleasure, like taking psychoactive drugs, can modulate reward neurocircuitry, causing changes in responsiveness to reward-predicting stimuli and incentive motivation. Indeed, the excessive ingestion in modern societies and the resulting obesity epidemic may be viewed as a form of food addiction. Thus, a diet high in palatable foods is proposed to impact upon reward systems in the brain, modulating appetitive learning and altering reward thresholds. Impairments in other forms of cognition have been associated with obesity, and these have a rapid onset. The hippocampus appears to be particularly vulnerable to the detrimental effects of high fat and high sugar diets. Recent research has shown that as little as one week of exposure to a high fat, high sugar diet leads to impairments in place but not object recognition memory in the rat. Excess sugar alone had similar effects, and the detrimental effects of diet consumption was linked to increased inflammatory markers in the hippocampus, a critical region involved in memory. Furthermore, obesity-related inflammatory changes have also been described in the human brain that may lead to memory impairments. These memory deficits may contribute to pathological eating behaviour through changes in the amount consumed and timing of eating. The aim of this eBook is to present up-to-date information about the impact of diet and diet-induced obesity on reward driven learning, memory and cognition, encompassing both animal and human literature, and also potential therapeutic targets to attenuate such deficits.

Role of the Mediterranean Diet in the Brain and Neurodegenerative Diseases

Role of the Mediterranean Diet in the Brain and Neurodegenerative Diseases PDF Author: Tahira Farooqui
Publisher: Academic Press
ISBN: 0128119608
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 484

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Book Description
Role of the Mediterranean Diet in the Brain and Neurodegenerative Disease provides a comprehensive overview of the effects of all components of the Mediterranean diet on the brain, along with its beneficial effects in neurodegenerative diseases. It covers topics on neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer disease (AD), Parkinson disease, (PD) Huntington disease (HD) and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also providing information on how cardiovascular disease, Type 2 Diabetes, and Metabolic Syndrome become risk factors for neurodegenerative diseases. This book focuses on how the Mediterranean diet suppresses oxidative stress and neuroinflammation in neurodegenerative diseases as well as signal transduction. The Mediterranean diet is characterized by the abundant consumption of olive oil, high consumption of plant foods (fruits, vegetables, pulses, cereals, nuts and seeds); frequent and moderate intake of wine (mainly with meals); moderate consumption of fish, seafood, yogurt, cheese, poultry and eggs; and low consumption of red meat and processed meat products. High consumption of dietary fiber, low glycemic index and glycemic load, anti-inflammatory effects, and antioxidant compounds may act together to produce favorable effects on health status. Collective evidence suggests that Mediterranean diet not only increases longevity by lowering cardiovascular disease, inhibiting cancer growth, but also by protecting the body from age-dependent cognitive decline. Comprehensively provides an overview of the effects of the Mediterranean diet on the brain and its beneficial effects in neurodegenerative diseases Discusses the relationship among Type 2 Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Alzheimer's Disease, and the effect of the Mediterranean diet on normal aging, longevity, and other neurodegenerative diseases Focuses on how the Mediterranean diet suppresses oxidative stress and neuroinflammation in neurodegenerative disease

World Population Ageing 2019 Highlights

World Population Ageing 2019 Highlights PDF Author: United Nations
Publisher: United Nations
ISBN: 921004553X
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 42

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Book Description
Drawing on the 2019 revision of World Population Prospects, the World Population Ageing 2019 (Highlights) document global and regional trends in population ageing, including consideration of the implications of these trends for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. The report also presents various concepts and indicators related to population ageing and discusses related fiscal and economic implications.

Not Eating Enough

Not Eating Enough PDF Author: Committee on Military Nutrition Research
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309556562
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 498

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Book Description
Eating enough food to meet nutritional needs and maintain good health and good performance in all aspects of life--both at home and on the job--is important for all of us throughout our lives. For military personnel, however, this presents a special challenge. Although soldiers typically have a number of options for eating when stationed on a base, in the field during missions their meals come in the form of operational rations. Unfortunately, military personnel in training and field operations often do not eat their rations in the amounts needed to ensure that they meet their energy and nutrient requirements and consequently lose weight and potentially risk loss of effectiveness both in physical and cognitive performance. This book contains 20 chapters by military and nonmilitary scientists from such fields as food science, food marketing and engineering, nutrition, physiology, psychology, and various medical specialties. Although described within a context of military tasks, the committee's conclusions and recommendations have wide-reaching implications for people who find that job-related stress changes their eating habits.

Magnesium in the Central Nervous System

Magnesium in the Central Nervous System PDF Author: Robert Vink
Publisher: University of Adelaide Press
ISBN: 0987073052
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 354

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Book Description
The brain is the most complex organ in our body. Indeed, it is perhaps the most complex structure we have ever encountered in nature. Both structurally and functionally, there are many peculiarities that differentiate the brain from all other organs. The brain is our connection to the world around us and by governing nervous system and higher function, any disturbance induces severe neurological and psychiatric disorders that can have a devastating effect on quality of life. Our understanding of the physiology and biochemistry of the brain has improved dramatically in the last two decades. In particular, the critical role of cations, including magnesium, has become evident, even if incompletely understood at a mechanistic level. The exact role and regulation of magnesium, in particular, remains elusive, largely because intracellular levels are so difficult to routinely quantify. Nonetheless, the importance of magnesium to normal central nervous system activity is self-evident given the complicated homeostatic mechanisms that maintain the concentration of this cation within strict limits essential for normal physiology and metabolism. There is also considerable accumulating evidence to suggest alterations to some brain functions in both normal and pathological conditions may be linked to alterations in local magnesium concentration. This book, containing chapters written by some of the foremost experts in the field of magnesium research, brings together the latest in experimental and clinical magnesium research as it relates to the central nervous system. It offers a complete and updated view of magnesiums involvement in central nervous system function and in so doing, brings together two main pillars of contemporary neuroscience research, namely providing an explanation for the molecular mechanisms involved in brain function, and emphasizing the connections between the molecular changes and behavior. It is the untiring efforts of those magnesium researchers who have dedicated their lives to unraveling the mysteries of magnesiums role in biological systems that has inspired the collation of this volume of work.

Diet and Cognitive Decline

Diet and Cognitive Decline PDF Author: Francesco Panza
Publisher: Nova Publishers
ISBN: 9781594541216
Category : Health & Fitness
Languages : en
Pages : 188

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Book Description
The progressive ageing of the general population and the consequent increase of the number of old people has made the typical medical problems of aged people more frequently observed, and particularly the problems related to the ageing brain. This new book is an updated overview of relevant aspects of cognitive decline associated with ageing. Within the wide landscape of brain ageing the authors reconsider the role of the main predisposing factors and risk factors on the development of various form of mental decline, from mild cognitive impairment to dementia. The strength of this book is the large, updated overview of the most recent data of scientific literature regarding the role of genetic, metabolic and environmental factors on the predisposition and onset of cognitive decline. Particular attention is paid to the dietary micro- and macronutrients and to their possible role in the pathogenesis of the various form of dementigen disorders.

Preventing Cognitive Decline and Dementia

Preventing Cognitive Decline and Dementia PDF Author: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309459591
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 181

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Book Description
Societies around the world are concerned about dementia and the other forms of cognitive impairment that affect many older adults. We now know that brain changes typically begin years before people show symptoms, which suggests a window of opportunity to prevent or delay the onset of these conditions. Emerging evidence that the prevalence of dementia is declining in high-income countries offers hope that public health interventions will be effective in preventing or delaying cognitive impairments. Until recently, the research and clinical communities have focused primarily on understanding and treating these conditions after they have developed. Thus, the evidence base on how to prevent or delay these conditions has been limited at best, despite the many claims of success made in popular media and advertising. Today, however, a growing body of prevention research is emerging. Preventing Cognitive Decline and Dementia: A Way Forward assesses the current state of knowledge on interventions to prevent cognitive decline and dementia, and informs future research in this area. This report provides recommendations of appropriate content for inclusion in public health messages from the National Institute on Aging.

Micronutrients and Brain Health

Micronutrients and Brain Health PDF Author: Lester Packer
Publisher: CRC Press
ISBN: 9781420073522
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 460

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Book Description
Micronutrients and Brain Health addresses cutting-edge research related to processes of oxidative stress that affect brain function, an area of increasing significance for those concerned and involved with public health and translational medicine. Edited by four leading micronutrient researchers, the book brings together the investigative work of more than 70 leading researchers from across the world. Chapters identify brain-specific micronutrients that support function as well as the molecular mechanisms underlying their neuroprotectant activity. These explore age-related metabolic pathways, mitochondrial nutrients, neurodegeneration and micronutrients, cell signaling, and neuronal functions. General chapters are included on brain structure, function, and metabolism, while several other chapters are devoted to the role of specific micronutrients. The book explores how brain micronutrients are found to be both metabolic and redox regulators, thereby establishing a cross-talk between the major pathways involved in modulation of cell signaling and gene expression. Specific areas of research covered include: Uses of nutritional interventions to target age-related neuronal and behavioral deficits Effects of various micronutrients on Alzheimer’s disease, including lipoic acid, green tea, and Ginkgo biloba extracts Nutrients specific to essential mitochondrial functions Cognitive and behavioral consequences of iron deficiency with specific emphasis on women of reproductive age Omega-3 fatty acids and their relation to brain function in the elderly Challenges inherent in the development of neuroprotective-neurorescue drugs This book belongs to the groundbreaking CRC Press Series on Oxidative Stress and Disease. The series now includes more than two dozen volumes that address increasing evidence regarding the multiple ways that oxidative stress initiates and accelerates disease mechanisms. Most importantly, this book, like the series, offers invaluable information regarding nutritional and lifestyle choices, and pharmaceutical interventions that can be employed to prevent, control, and even ameliorate disease processes attributed to oxidative stress.

Neurodegeneration and Alzheimer's Disease

Neurodegeneration and Alzheimer's Disease PDF Author: Ralph N. Martins
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1119356784
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 548

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Book Description
Understanding the impact of diet, exercise, genetics, and hormones on the risk and development of Alzheimer’s and other neurogenerative diseases Diet is widely known to impact on neurological function. Nevertheless, academic texts discussing this relationship are relatively few in number. This book therefore fills an important gap in the current literature. Opening with an overview of neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Alzheimer’s disease, the text then focuses on explaining the means by which glycemic control and lipid metabolism – and associated nutritional and lifestyle variables – may factor into such disorders’ prevention and treatment. An international group of experts in the fields of food science and neurodegeneration have contributed chapters that examine Alzheimer’s disease within a broad range of contexts. Offering dietary, genetic, and hormonal perspectives, the authors explore topics ranging from sugar consumption to digestive fermentation, and Alzheimer’s disease animal models to the cognition-enhancing effects of physical exercise. Also included are overviews of the latest research into current and developing methods of treatment and diagnosis, as well as differential diagnostics. This groundbreaking book: Explores how glucose metabolism, insulin resistance, lipid metabolism, and high intake of refined carbohydrates are linked to Alzheimer's disease Discusses how genetic makeup can impact risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease Examines cognitive changes in neurodegeneration, lists current tests for determining cognitive impairment, and provides information concerning differential diagnosis Discusses potential advantages of increasing antioxidant and micronutrient intake Reviews hormonal influences on neurodegeneration Examines the links between protein intake and Alzheimer’s disease. Neurodegeneration and Alzheimer's Disease is an essential resource for researchers, medical practitioners, dietitians, and students with an interest in neurological diseases and their diagnosis and risk factors, as well as diet-related conditions such as diabetes and obesity. Lifestyle and diet influence neurodegeneration risk, and a better understanding of this evidence amongst health professionals will hopefully lead to greater public awareness of how to reduce the likelihood of these widespread conditions.

Improving Diets and Nutrition

Improving Diets and Nutrition PDF Author: Brian Thompson
Publisher: Food & Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO)
ISBN:
Category : Health & Fitness
Languages : en
Pages : 464

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Book Description
The International Symposium on Food and Nutrition Security: Food-Based Approaches for Improving Diets and Raising Levels of Nutrition was organised by the FAO to better document the contribution that food and agriculture can make to improving nutrition. This publication presents the proceedings of the symposium. The proceedings are a useful resource for decision and policy makers, programme planners and implementers, and health workers, all of which work to combat hunger and malnutrition. Likewise, they will have appeal for professionals in the field of food security, nutrition, public health, horticulture, agronomy, animal science, food marketing, information, education, communication, food technology and development. They are also designed as a useful complementary source for graduate and postgraduate courses.