What Is The Role Of Diet For Brain Health?

It has long been known that a sufficient amount of specific nutrients can affect cognitive skills (skills needed for learning) and emotions.

Studies that focus on the effects of nutrients on nervous system function and synaptic plasticity (the ability of nerve tissue to readjust under the influence of some cause, through changes in the connections between neurons), reveal some of the vital mechanisms responsible for the effect of diet on brain health and mental function.

There are hormones that are released in the stomach and intestines, they can affect the brain, thus affecting cognitive ability. Also, well-established regulators of synaptic plasticity, as a brain neurotrophic factor , can function as metabolic modulators by responding to peripheral signals, such as food intake.

Understanding the impact of food at the molecular level on cognitive abilities helps us determine how best to manage our diet to increase the body's resistance to conditions such as stroke, as well as to support mental ability.

Although food is primarily a means of providing energy and building material to the body, it also has the ability to prevent and prevent disease. In particular, research provides evidence of the influence of certain nutrients on specific properties of molecular systems and mechanisms that support mental function .

For example, a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids has been found to be important in supporting human cognitive processes and the regulation of genes that are important for maintaining synaptic function and neuroplasticity.

In turn, diets high in saturated fat are known to reduce molecular substrates (substances that are exposed to certain enzymes and are necessary for the biosynthesis of other substances), which support and increase the risk of neurological dysfunction.

The brain is an organ with very high metabolic and nutritional needs. On average, the brain consumes 20% of a person's daily calorie intake, approximately 400 calories per day. It consists of 60% fat and contains high concentrations of cholesterol and polyunsaturated fatty acids such as omega-3. The production of monoamine neurotransmitters such as serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine are important in the pathophysiology of mental illness.

Omega-3 fatty acids affect a number of major processes in the central nervous system. In particular, they regulate neurotransmission, affect gene expression and directly affect neurogenesis and neuronal survival. They also act as antioxidants and have anti-inflammatory properties .

Along with omega-3 intake, the balance of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids is also important. Diets in Western countries are more rich in omega-6 fatty acids and fairly low levels of omega-3, this happens with the transition to processed foods (foods that have undergone a series of mechanical or chemical treatments performed to change or storage). Omega-6s are essential fatty acids in many vegetable oils.

Long-chain omega-3 fatty acids are found in fish, seafood and beef. Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to be effective as a stand-alone or as an adjunct treatment for attention deficit disorder , major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Also some nutritional deficiencies, such as vitamin B 12, B 9 (folate), and zinc can cause symptoms of depression and dementia, such as depressed mood, fatigue, cognitive impairment and irritability.