Food and the Brain

  • R. J. Wurtman
  • J. Growdon
Chapter

Abstract

The rates of synthesis of the neurotransmitters serotonin, acetylcholine, and probably also norepinephrine depend physiologically on the availability to the brain of their precursor molecules, the nutrients tryptophan, choline, and tyrosine, respectively. The brain concentration of each precursor can rapidly be influenced by the diet; food ingestion thus readily modifies the synthesis of each of these neurotransmitters in brain. Brain neurons that utilise serotonin, acetylcholine, or norepinephrine are involved in neuronal networks that control a number of body functions and behaviours (for example, appetite, food choice, sleep, memory, and mood). Thus dietary constituents are able normally to affect these functions and, when given as large doses of pure nutrients, to serve as treatments for brain diseases involving monoaminergic or cholinergic neurons.

Keywords

Tardive Dyskinesia Cholinergic Neuron Brain Neuron Brain Serotonin Plasma Tryptophan 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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Copyright information

© Applied Science Publishers Ltd 1980

Authors and Affiliations

  • R. J. Wurtman
    • 1
  • J. Growdon
    • 2
  1. 1.Department of Nutrition and Food ScienceMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeUSA
  2. 2.Department of NeurologyTufts University Medical SchoolBostonUSA

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