Brain Health

Could Vitamin C During Pregnancy Influence a Baby's Temperament?

New research suggests vitamin C supplements may be associated with less fussiness and distress in babies, although it's too early to know whether supplements make a difference.

Eggs, Soybeans and Brain Health: New Research Finds a Connection

A study of older adults found an association between higher intake of a nutrient found in common foods and better cognitive performance, though more research is needed.

Fruit and Sugary Drinks May Play a Role in Teen Mental Health

A three-year study of more than 6,500 teenagers found that fruit and sugary drink consumption were associated with later symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Prenatal Choline Supplements May Benefit Children's Brain Development

Children whose mothers took choline supplements during pregnancy scored higher on cognitive tests at age 4, though researchers say more studies are needed.

Could Caffeine Affect More Than Children's Sleep?

Researchers found small differences in brain structure among children who consumed more caffeine, but it's unclear whether caffeine itself was responsible.

Higher Ultraprocessed Food Intake Linked to Early Brain Changes

Brain scans of nearly 9,000 adults suggest a connection between diets high in ultraprocessed foods and early signs of damage, although the findings aren't conclusive.

Higher Weight at Dementia Diagnosis Was Linked to Longer Survival

People who were overweight or had obesity when dementia developed had a lower risk of death than those in the normal-weight range, but the findings do not mean gaining weight improves survival.

Ultraprocessed Foods and Brain Aging: What We Know

Research has linked diets high in ultraprocessed foods with cognitive decline and dementia, but scientists still don't know whether the foods themselves are responsible.

Brain Differences Linked to BMI Appear as Early as Preschool

Brain scans of children ages 4 to 7 found differences in areas involved in reward, taste and hunger, but researchers can't yet say what the connection means.

Time-Restricted Eating Shows Early Promise in Huntington’s Disease

A small pilot study found the approach was doable without unwanted weight loss, but larger trials are needed to know whether it actually helps.

Western-Style Diet May Be Linked to Faster Attention Decline in Some Older Adults

The small study found the link only in people with a genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease, and even that result weakened under closer analysis.

Anemia During Pregnancy Was Linked to Differences in Babies’ Brain Growth

Babies born to mothers with anemia had smaller brain volumes by about age 1, but the study does not show that anemia directly caused those differences.

Gut Bacteria May Be Linked to Brain Chemistry in Humans

A small human study found connections between the gut microbiome and chemicals measured in different parts of the brain, offering new clues about the gut-brain connection.

Food Insecurity Later in Life Was Linked to Higher Dementia Risk

A long-running U.S. study found the association was strongest among older adults who experienced food insecurity later in life, but it cannot show whether food insecurity contributed to cognitive decline or was partly a consequence of it.

Fluoride in Pregnancy Linked to Lower Scores on Some Cognitive Tests

Higher fluoride exposure during pregnancy was associated with lower scores on some cognitive tests in children, though the study cannot prove fluoride caused the differences.

Study Offers New Clue to How Folic Acid Protects Early Brain Development

Experiments in frog embryos and cells suggest folic acid may rely on a vitamin A-related process to help the developing brain and spinal cord form properly.

Hunger Neurons May Help GLP-1 Drugs Sustain Weight Loss

A study in female mice found that brain cells known for driving hunger were unexpectedly needed for the full weight-lowering effects of GLP-1 drugs.

Brain Health Habits Can Be Hard to Follow, Even with Early Alzheimer’s

A study of people with mild cognitive impairment or mild Alzheimer’s dementia found that most were falling short on at least some recommended brain health behaviors, even among those pursuing intensive treatment.

Fruit and Honey May Have Helped Fuel Human Brain Growth

A new model argues that carbohydrate-rich foods helped meet rising glucose demands, but it cannot reconstruct exactly what early humans ate.

Early-Life Sugar Rationing Was Linked to Lower Dementia Risk Decades Later

A study of nearly 65,000 people born around the end of British sugar rationing found an association between lower sugar exposure early in life and later brain health, but it cannot show that sugar caused the difference.

Gut Signals Helped Rats Remember Where They Found Food

A new animal study identified a vagus nerve pathway linking nutrients in the digestive system with food-related memory.

Opposite Weight-Loss Drug Strategies May Work Through Different Parts of the Brain

A mouse study offers a possible explanation for why activating or blocking the same appetite-related receptor can both support weight loss, but it does not show which approach will work best in people.

Polyphenols May Support Brain Health

A broad review found promising biological clues, but it did not establish that any food, compound or diet prevents Alzheimer’s disease.

Keto Diet Trial Finds Early Metabolic Gains in Serious Mental Illness

A small randomized trial found metabolic improvements after one month on a ketogenic diet, while longer-term mental health findings remain preliminary.

Mediterranean-Style Eating May Support Well-Being as We Age

A study of adults over 50 found that greater adherence to a Mediterranean-style diet was associated with higher psychological well-being before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.