Nutrition and the Ageing Brain

Abstract

As the detrimental impacts of the ageing process accumulate, individuals become increasingly susceptible to cognitive dysfunction and neurological disorders. Diet has emerged as a key ‘modifiable factor’ that over a life course can have considerable implications upon cognitive function. This stems from its ability to modulate multiple processes such as neuroinflammation, endogenous antioxidant defence system and gut microbiota structure and function, which have an integral role in memory, learning and cognitive function. This chapter aims to highlight some of the key dietary nutrients, as well as whole diet approaches which may promote healthy neurological function, particularly during ageing. The emergence of novel pathways by which diet may influence healthy ageing (e.g., gut microbiome), and the advancement of new methodological approaches (neuroimaging, metabolomics, biomarkers) has enabled researchers to uncover novel mechanisms that may underpin this relationship. Despite this, the translation of these findings into a clinical setting remains challenging, marred by inconsistent and often contradictory results, suggesting further research using more standardised approaches is needed.