Effects of nutrients on brain function.

Abstract

While many of the above examples support a role of these dietary components in modifying the synthesis, storage, release and actions of various neurotransmitter molecules in the central nervous system, most of the responses to eating everyday foods are expected to produce subtle changes in physiological and/or behavioral parameters. However, the observed subtle changes may have significant consequences when present in individuals with altered homeostasis as might be present in various disease states or certain environmental situations (e.g. depression, PMS, stress). Studies in the future should investigate the effects of various diets, e.g., vegetarian, macrobiotic, traditional Eastern, etc. on physiological and psychological functioning. Care should be taken to differentiate between the responses of subgroups of subjects, e.g. male vs. female, old vs. young, and lean vs. obese, as some differences in the rate of neurotransmitter synthesis and receptor dynamics have been reported in some studies. Chronic consumption of these diets may lead to long-term alterations in the neurotransmitter systems' dynamics, or as is often the situation with long-term pharmacological treatments, may result in adaptive changes to minimize the acute effects of such treatments. To date, no such studies have been performed that have systematically addressed many of these issues. Future studies will require careful design so as to enhance the chances of detecting such alterations in function. However, the most significant alterations in function occur when a dietary component is administered in a purified form, separate from the normal diet. In this case the compound should be treated more like a pharmacological agent than a nutrient since adverse (i.e. antinutritive) effects may result. The most difficult studies however will use everyday foods with the aim of detecting changes based on the underlying biochemical changes.