Nutritional neuroscience is the scientific discipline centred on the impact of dietary components, such as minerals, vitamins, macronutrients, polyphenols, and antinutrients such as alcohol, caffeine and food additives have on neurochemistry and neurobiology, and memory, executive function, behaviour and cognition.
Nutrition has an impact on the brain throughout the lifecycle, which can impact on the development of neurodevelopmental conditions and also neurodegenerative diseases in later life. Additionally, environmental and genetic factors are a key consideration. The emerging area of nutrigenomics, which explores the impact of nutrition of genetic expression may hold key answers as to why some individuals are at a higher risk of developing neurodevelopmental conditions and neurodegenrative diseases.
– Dauncey, (2009)“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.”
