The Brain Food Digest: August 2025

What's New in Nutrition and Brain Health

This summary is inclusive of publication dates 7/1/25-7/31/25.

Key: Full text available *

Wishing you a wonderful remainder of this Labor Day weekend,

Sarah Ferreira, MS, MPH, RD

Research Area

• Cognitive Function, Memory and Neurodegeneration

• Mood and Mental Health

• Eating Disorders

• Addiction, Eating Behavior and Food Choice

• Neurodevelopmental Outcomes

• Brain Injury

• Migraines, Epilepsy and Other Neurological

• Other

Cognitive Function, Memory and Neurodegeneration

Association between coffee intake and serum α-Klotho levels in adults: a population-based study*

Association between dietary inflammatory index and Parkinson's disease: a prospective study of 165,531 UK biobank participants*

Association between dietary oxidative balance score and cognitive function among older adults: A sex- and sex hormone-stratified analysis from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys 2013-2014

Association Between Serum Methylmalonic Acid and Poor Cognitive Performance

Association of dietary macronutrients with MRI-detected vascular brain injury and cognition in 9886 middle-aged participants from four countries: for the Canadian Alliance of Healthy Hearts and Minds (CAHHM) and the Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiolog ical (PURE) Study Investigators*

The association of the MIND diet and its components with cognitive function in postmenopausal breast cancer survivors*

Associations of one-carbon metabolism, related B-vitamins and ApoE genotype with cognitive function in older adults: identification of a novel gene-nutrient interaction*

Association of ultra-processed food consumption with prodromal, incident Parkinson's disease and mortality

Association of vitamin B12 deficiency in a dementia cohort with hippocampal atrophy on MRI*

Beta-sitosterol mitigates type 2 diabetes-induced cognitive deficits: a behavioral and molecular investigation in Swiss albino mice*

Beyond MIND and Mediterranean Diets: Designing a Diet to Optimize Parkinson's Disease Outcomes*

Blood levels of copper, manganese, selenium, and zinc are positively associated with cognitive function and academic performance in adolescents*

Branched-Chain Amino Acids in Parkinson's Disease: Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutic Potential*

A caffeine and theacrine combination improves cognitive performance in tactical personnel under physically fatiguing conditions*

Calendula arvensis L. extracts: GC-MS and HPLC-DAD quantification of the main phenolic components and their pharmacological potential

Cardiovascular Risk Factors, Alzheimer’s Disease, and the MIND Diet: A Narrative Review from Molecular Mechanisms to Clinical Outcomes*

Clustering on longitudinal lifestyle trajectories and their impact on cognitive performance*

Combination Supplement Therapy: A New Frontier in Treatment of Neurodegenerative Diseases

Combined Effects of Exercise and Vitamin D on Neuroinflammation, Blood-Brain Barrier Integrity, Oxidative Stress, and Cognitive Function in Nonpathological Mice*

Consensus statement on exploring the Nexus between nutrition, brain health and dementia prevention*

Congee Containing Carotenoids-Enriched Functional Ingredient from Tomato Improves Cognition, Serum α-Synuclein, Monoaminergic Function, and Gut-Brain Axis Functions in the Elderly Volunteers*

Creatine supplementation and muscle-brain axis: a new possible mechanism?*

Creatine Supplementation for Cognition: A Critical Perspective on Promise, Proof, and Public Perception

Cross-sectional associations of plasma vitamin D with plasma phosphorylated tau-181 and plasma neurofilament light chain in older adults with memory complaints*

Deuterium trafficking, mitochondrial dysfunction, copper homeostasis, and neurodegenerative disease*

Dietary cholesterol impairs cognition via gut microbiota-derived deoxycholic acid in obese mice*

Dietary sugar intake, genetic susceptibility, and risk of dementia: A prospective cohort study*

Dietary provitamin A and non-provitamin A carotenoid in relation to cognitive function among middle-aged and older adults*

Editorial: Lifestyle and environmental influences on Alzheimer's disease: exploring the roles of diet, exercise, cognitive reserve, sleep, and air quality*

Effect of Maternal Dietary DHA and Prenatal Stress Mouse Model on Autistic-like Behaviors, Lipid Peroxidation Activity, and GABA Expression in Offspring Pups*

Effect of Probiotics Supplementation on REM Sleep Behavior Disorder and Motor Symptoms in Parkinson's Disease: A Pilot Study*

The Effectiveness of Hesperidin, Diosmin and Proanthocyanidins Nutritional Supplementation on Cognitive and Motor Functions in Older Adults: A Pilot Randomized Control Study

Eriocitrin and its derivatives against Alzheimer's disease: Cumulative accounts of in vitro and in vivo studies*

Epigenetic modulations and nutrient interactions in Alzheimer's disease: unveiling potential therapeutic pathways*

Evidence Mapping of Clinical Practice Guidelines Recommendations and Quality for Nutritional Management in Dementia

Exogenous branched chain amino acids improve cognitive impairment by regulating glutamatergic synapses in chronic cerebral hypoperfusion rats

Exploring the relationship between dietary factors and structural brain alterations in a partial least squares correlation analysis

Folate mediates cognitive impairment of aged people with periodontitis

Folic Acid Ameliorates Neuronal Ferroptosis in Aging by Up-Regulating SLC7A11-GSH-GPX4 Antioxidant Pathway and Increasing Cystine Levels*

From the plate to the brain: associations between dietary patterns and reduced dementia prevalence and white matter lesions in older Japanese adults

High fat diet and low dose-rotenone exposure exacerbate Parkinson's disease like pathology through gut-brain axis disruption

In Vitro Neuroprotective Effects of a Mixed Extract of Bilberry, Centella asiatica, Hericium erinaceus, and Palmitoylethanolamide*

Intermittent Fasting as a Neuroprotective Strategy: Gut-Brain Axis Modulation and Metabolic Reprogramming in Neurodegenerative Disorders*

Long-term intermittent fasting induces region- and sex-specific changes in astrocyte morphology and expression and anxiety-like behaviors in CD-1 mice

Machine Learning Approach to Select Small Compounds in Plasma as Predictors of Alzheimer's Disease*

Macroalgae Polysaccharides Enhance Brain Health by Mitigating Scopolamine-induced Oxidative Stress and Inflammation Via Nrf-2/TLR4/NF-kB Pathways

A mixed methods feasibility study of a ketogenic diet as treatment for Parkinson's disease*

Modulatory Effects of Urtica dioica on Neurodegenerative Diseases: Unveiling the Latest Findings and Applications Related to Neuroinflammation, Oxidative Stress, and Cognitive Dysfunction*

*Neuroinflammation and nutrition in Alzheimer's disease*

Neuroprotective and gut health benefits of Ugni molinae in preclinical Huntington's disease models

Neuroprotective Roles of Vitamin D: Bridging the Gap Between Mechanisms and Clinical Applications in Cognitive Decline*

Nut consumption, gut microbiota, and cognitive function: findings from a prospective study in older adults at risk of cognitive decline

Oleuropein Aglycone, an Olive Polyphenol, Influences Alpha-Synuclein Aggregation and Exerts Neuroprotective Effects in Different Parkinson's Disease Models

Polyphenolic protection: the role of mangiferin in mitigating neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation

Potential therapeutic effects of Ebixa, Ginkgo biloba, and selenium in a cadmium chloride-induced Alzheimer's disease manifestations in rats*

Preliminary longitudinal epigenetic clock analyses of patients with mild cognitive impairment through nutritional intervention

The Role of the Gut Microbiota in Mental Health and Cognitive Function in Patients with Coronary Atherosclerosis*

Sex differences in the outcomes of modifiable lifestyle factors for cognitive aging: neuroinflammation and microglia as key underlying mechanisms*

Sex-specific association of serum phospholipid very-long-chain saturated fatty acids with cognitive performance among elderly adults

Structured vs Self-Guided Multidomain Lifestyle Interventions for Global Cognitive Function: The US POINTER Randomized Clinical Trial

Subtle concentration changes in zinc hold the key to fibrillation of α-synuclein: an updated insight on the micronutrient's role in prevention of neurodegenerative disorders*

A Systems Biology Approach to Memory Health: Integrating Network Pharmacology, Gut Microbiota, and Multi-Omics for Health Functional Foods*

A systematic review and meta-analysis on gene-environment interaction effects on the associations of vitamin D and sun exposure with multiple sclerosis risk*

The Therapeutic Potential of Butyrate and Lauric Acid in Modulating Glial and Neuronal Activity in Alzheimer's Disease*

Urolithin A improves Parkinson's disease-associated cognitive impairment through modulation of neuroinflammation and neuroplasticity

Vitamin D deficiency as a risk factor for cognitive decline in individuals aged 50 or older

Western Diet and Cognitive Decline: A Hungarian Perspective-Implications for the Design of the Semmelweis Study*

Mood and Mental Health

Assessment of Health-Related Behaviors in Patients Hospitalized with Chronic Psychiatric Disorders-A Case-Control Study from a Closed Psychiatric Ward*

Association between dietary fiber intake and post-stroke depression among US women: insights from the NHANES 2005-2018 cross-sectional study*

Association between DHA and depression: results from the NHANES 2011-2014 and a bidirectional Mendelian randomization analysis*

Association Between Dietary Habits and Depressive Symptoms in University Students: A Cross-Sectional Study Using the Japanese Version of the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (QIDS-J)*

The Association Between Dietary Fiber Intake and Depression Among US Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study Based on NHANES Data From 2005 to 2020*

The Association between Ultra-Processed Foods and Depression, Anxiety and Sleep in Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study in Iran*

Association of allostatic load and dietary inflammatory index with depressive symptoms among U.S. adults: NHANES 2007-2018

Association of Vitamins and their Interactions on Depression: A Review

The Association Between Skipping Breakfast and Anxiety and Depression in Adolescents-A Scoping Review*

The Association of Different Types of Intermittent Fasting with Mental Health: A Protocol for Systematic Review

Association of the triglyceride-glucose index with risk of depression and anxiety: A prospective cohort study

Associations of Dietary Inflammatory and Antioxidant Indices with Mental Health Indicators Among University Students: A Cross-Sectional Study*

Circulating short chain fatty acids are associated with depression severity and predict remission from major depressive disorder*

Effects of Probiotic Supplementation on Depressive Symptoms, Sleep Quality, and Modulation of Gut Microbiota and Inflammatory Biomarkers: A Randomized Controlled Trial*

Estimating effects of serum vitamin B12 levels on psychiatric disorders and cognitive impairment: a Mendelian randomization study*

Exploring the Co-Structure of Physical Activity and Dietary Patterns in Relation to Emotional Well-Being: A Tanglegram-Based Multivariate Approach*

Factors Influencing the Relationship Between Sugar Consumption and Depression Among Women Under Breast Cancer Treatment*

Food, Quality of Life and Mental Health: A Cross-Sectional Study with Federal Education Workers*

The Gut-Brain Axis and Mental Health: How Diet Shapes Our Cognitive and Emotional Well-Being

Gut‐Brain Axis in Obesity: How Dietary Patterns Influence Psychological Well‐Being and Metabolic Health?*

The Gut Microbiota Is Altered in Antidepressant-Free Depressed Patients and Is Associated With Depression Severity*

High dietary live microbe intake associated with reduced depressive symptoms in gastrointestinal disease patients: findings from a cross-sectional study*

Mechanistic insights into the anti-depressant effect of quercetin: an integrated bibliometrics, bioinformatics, and animal experimentation*

Meta-analysis of the effect of vitamin D on depression*

Mineral Homeostasis and Depression: Implications for Prevention and Therapeutic Support-A Narrative Review*

New Insights into the oral microbiota and host epigenetic changes in obsessive compulsive disorder and major depressive disorder: Focus on BDNF*

Nutrient-Synbiotic Complex Ameliorates LPS-Induced Depressive-Like Behavior via Modulation of Gut Microbiota and Tryptophan Metabolism in Mice*

Nutritional Modulation of Impaired Blood-Brain Barrier Integrity and Function in Major Depression*

Plant-Based Diets and Mental and Neurocognitive Health Outcomes: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis

Potential effects of Asian-adapted Mediterranean diet in depression and anxiety among women with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease: a secondary analysis*

Probiotics mitigate stress and inflammation in malnourished adults via gut microbiota modulation: a randomized controlled trial*

Reduction of Dietary Fat Rescues High-Fat Diet-Induced Depressive Phenotypes and the Associated Hippocampal Astrocytic Deficits in Mice*

The relationship between cobalamin and folate below the cutoff values on anxiety and insomnia symptoms: Findings from the 8-year longitudinal EPISONO study

Relationship Between Vitamin D Deficiency and Postpartum Depression*

Risk factors, protective factors, peripheral biomarkers, and neurocognitive markers associated with mood disorders: An umbrella review of 103 meta-analyses and systematic reviews*

Schizophrenia, Nutrition and Choices in Kilojoules (SNaCK): protocol for a feasibility and acceptability randomised controlled trial of two dietary interventions*

Thiamine Compounds Alleviate Oxidative Stress, Over-Expression of Pro-Inflammatory Markers and Behavioral Abnormalities in a Mouse Predation Model of PTSD*

Time-restricted feeding prevents depressive-like behaviors by suppressing changes in the gut microbiota

Ultra-Processed Food Intake, Obesity, and Mood Disorders: An Epidemiological Study From the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2005 to 2018 Data*

Ultra-Processed Food Intake as an Effect Modifier in the Association Between Depression and Diabetes in Brazil: A Cross-Sectional Study*

Understanding the research landscape of over-the-counter herbal products, dietary supplements, and medications evaluated for depressive symptoms in adults: a scoping review*

Eating Disorders

Abstinence-based treatment of comorbid eating disorders and ultra-processed food addiction*

Adolescent disordered eating: Associations among food insecurity, stress, and emotional eating patterns

Burden of negative energy balance in anorexia nervosa: Role of circadian rhythm, mitochondrial dynamics, microbiota-gut-brain axis and their interactions*

Cross-Sectional Associations Between Family Dinner Frequency and Quality, Self-Directed Parental Weight Talk During Meals, and Disordered Eating Behaviors in Adolescents

Effectiveness of mHealth interventions targeting physical activity, sedentary behaviour, sleep or nutrition on emotional, behavioural and eating disorders in adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis*

Exploring causal link of 25-hydroxyvitamin D with eating disorder risk via bidirectional Mendelian randomization*

Food insecurity and disordered eating: Associations among adults with and without children

Food-Related Inhibitory Control and Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation: Bilateral Prefrontal or Excitatory Right-Hemispheric Stimulation?*

Gut Microbiota in Women with Eating Disorders: A New Frontier in Pathophysiology and Treatment*

Improving screening for disordered eating behaviors in pediatric weight management using quality improvement methodology*

Physical Activity and Psychonutritional Correlates of Eating Disorder Risk in Female Health Science Students*

The Prognostic Value of Hematological, Immune-Inflammatory, Metabolic, and Hormonal Biomarkers in the Treatment Response of Hospitalized Patients with Anorexia Nervosa*

Time Course of Electrocortical Processing of Food Stimuli in Adolescent Anorexia Nervosa

Addiction, Eating Behavior and Food Choice

Acute effects of short-term high-intensity interval exercise and moderate-intensity aerobic exercise on food-related inhibitory control in obese adults: a randomized controlled crossover trial using ERP measures*

Autonomic and Neuroendocrine Reactivity to VR Game Exposure in Children and Adolescents with Obesity: A Factor Analytic Approach to Physiological Reactivity and Eating Behavior*

Decreased Memory Suppression Ability in Restrained Eaters on Food Information-Evidence from ERP Experiment*

Effects of 4:3 Intermittent Fasting on Eating Behaviors and Appetite Hormones: A Secondary Analysis of a 12-Month Behavioral Weight Loss Intervention*

Exploring boundaries with food, substances, and people in substance use recovery: A qualitative analysis*

Food Choice, Eating Behaviors, and Associations with Depression Levels and Body Mass Index: A Cross-Sectional Study*

Homeostatic-related peptides injected into the rat nucleus accumbens alter palatable eating and impact the binge-like intake of a sweetened fat diet during simultaneous μ-opioid receptor stimulation*

Industrialized diets modulate host eating behavior via the microbiome-gut-brain axis

Neural responses to visual food cues according to weight and hunger state: A systematic review and meta-analysis*

Now is the time to recognize and respond to addiction to ultra-processed foods

Pomegranate Juice Consumption Improves Sleep Quality and Melatonin Concentration of Patients With Opioid Use Disorders Under Medication-Assisted Treatment With Methadone and Buprenorphine: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Restoring a Healthy Relationship with Food by Decoupling Stress and Eating: A Translational Review of Nutrition and Mental Health*

Role of B vitamins in modulating homocysteine and metabolic pathways linked to brain atrophy: Metabolomics insights from the VITACOG trial*

The role of BDNF on food intake and overweight: Linking neuroplasticity and obesity

Questioning the validity of food addiction: a critical review*

Sleep Restriction and Weekend Sleep Compensation Relate to Eating Behavior in School-Aged Children*

TOWARD: a metabolic health intervention that improves food addiction and binge eating symptoms*

Ultra-processed food addiction symptoms profile according to weight status among Brazilian adults*

Neurodevelopmental Outcomes

Biomarkers and Neuropsychological Tools in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: From Subjectivity to Precision Diagnosis*

Case Report: Autistic child with restrictive eating behaviour, limping gait and erythematous gingival mass-scurvy?*

A closer look at the role of nutrition in children and adults with ADHD and neurodivergence*

Choline—An Essential Nutrient with Health Benefits and a Signaling Molecule*

Does parental diet alter the neurobehaviour and the reflex and somatic parameters of the offspring?

Early-life 2'-Fucosyllactose and its combination with Bifidobacterium bifidum TMC3115: Sex-specific effects in learning, spatial memory, and hyperactivity in juvenile spontaneous hypertensive rats as an attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder model*

Microglia depletion in a mouse model of prenatal and postnatal immune activation*

Non-pharmacological Approaches to Managing Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Pediatric Populations: A Scoping Review*

Nutritional Supplementation Benefits in under Developmental Disruption and Stress Conditions*

Vitamin D status during pregnancy and child neurocognitive functioning at 4 Years

Brain Injury

Enteral Nutrition Management in a Patient With Traumatic Brain Injury in the Neuro-Intensive Care Unit: A Case Report*

Migraines, Epilepsy and Other Neurological

AFG2A-related encephalopathy: Effectiveness of ketogenic diet in epilepsy and mitochondrial dynamics modulation

Combination Therapy with Pyridoxine and Arginine Supplementations along with a Lysine-Restricted Diet in Individuals with Pyridoxine-Dependent Epilepsy: A Comprehensive Systematic Review*

Effects of Online, Asynchronous Education Modules on Migraine Severity and Elimination Diet Use Among Higher Education Students: An Observational, Pilot Feasibility Study*

Efficacy and safety of vitamin E as adjunctive therapy for epilepsy: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized control trials*

Evaluation of the associations of adherence to the MIND and mediterranean diets and the dietary inflammatory index on the age of migraine onset and disability in patients with migraine

The protective role of vitamin B1 in alcohol related headaches induced by disturbance of blood flow and direct cytotoxicity to hippocampal neuron

The Role of Carnitine Monitoring and Supplementation in Children With Epilepsy on a Ketogenic Diet

Quality assessment of online information on the use of the ketogenic diet in Epilepsy: A comparative analysis of English and Polish sources*

Wernicke encephalopathy: a mini review of the clinical spectrum, atypical manifestations, and diagnostic challenges*

Other

Anti-neuroinflammatory potential of porcine liver decomposition products in improving behavioral abnormalities: Effects on formalin- and LPS-induced inflammation*

Assessing the relationship of gut microbiota with neurological, psychiatric, and neurodegenerative disorders: a narrative review

Association between polyunsaturated fatty acids intake and serum neurofilament light chain concentrations in American adults: a cross-sectional study*

Exploring the Impact of a High-Fat Diet on Brain Homeostasis: A Comprehensive Analysis of the Absence of Inflammation

Folate, vitamin B12, one carbon metabolism and the nervous system

Glucosinolate Metabolites and Brain Health: An Updated Review on Their Potential Benefits in Neurodegenerative, Neurodevelopmental, and Psychiatric Disorders*

Mediterranean Diet, Inflammation, and Neurovulnerability: Towards Personalized Nutritional Strategies*

Myasthenia gravis and nutrition*

Novel approach to enhancing brain DHA uptake: the role of nannochloropsis microalgae extract*

Neuroprotective role of pyrroloquinoline quinone in folate deficiency-induced blood-brain barrier disruption*

Phosphatidylcholine suppresses inflammatory responses in LPS-stimulated MG6 microglial cells by inhibiting NF-κB/JNK/p38 MAPK signaling*

Twenty years of behavioral nutrition– A reflection on the road less travelled*

Unveiling the effect of diet-derived circulating antioxidants on brain cortical structure: New insights from Mendelian randomization*

Vitamin A5: Evidence, Definitions, Gaps, and Future Directions*

Disclaimer: The information provided in this newsletter is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this newsletter. Reliance on any information provided in this newsletter is solely at your own risk. The authors and publishers of this newsletter are not liable for any losses, injuries, or damages arising from the use of the information provided.

Copyright © 2024 Sarah Thomsen Ferreira.