Scientists learn how what you eat affects your brain — and those of your kids

"Food is like a pharmaceutical compound that affects the brain," said Fernando Gómez-Pinilla, professor of neurosurgery and physiological sciences at UCLA, who for years studied the effects of food, exercise and sleep on the brain. "Diet, exercise and sleep have the potential to alter mental health and brain function, which raises the exciting possibility that dietary changes are a viable strategy for improving cognitive abilities, protecting the brain from counteract the effects of aging. "
Omega-3 fatty acids, found in salmon, walnuts and kiwi, provide many benefits, such as improving learning and memory and helping fight mental disorders such as depression and mood disorders, schizophrenia and dementia, said Gómez -Pinilla. from the Brain Research Institute and the UCLA brain injury research center.

Synapses in the brain connect neurons and provide critical functions; Much learning and memory occur in the synapses, said Gómez-Pinilla.

"Omega-3 fatty acids are compatible with synaptic plasticity and seem to positively influence the expression of different learning and memory molecules found in synapses," said Gómez-Pinilla. "Omega-3 fatty acids are essential for normal brain function.

"The food deficiency of omega-3 fatty acids in humans has been associated with an increased risk of several mental disorders, including attention deficit disorder, dyslexia, dementia, depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia," he said. "A lack of omega-3 fatty acids in rodents leads to problems with learning and memory".

Children who had higher amounts of omega-3 fatty acids behaved better in school, reading and spelling and had less behavioral problems, he said.

Preliminary results from a study in England show that school performance improved among a group of students who received omega-3 fatty acids. In an Australian study, 396 children aged 6 to 12 who received a drink with omega-3 fatty acids and other nutrients (iron, zinc, folic acid, and vitamins A, B6, B12, and C) showed higher scores high in verbal intelligence and learning and memory measurement tests after six months and one year compared to a control group of students who did not receive the nutritional drink. This study was also conducted with 394 children in Indonesia. The results showed higher test scores for boys and girls in Australia, but only for girls in Indonesia.

Getting omega-3 fatty acids from foods instead of capsules supplements can be more useful, providing additional nutrients, Gomez-Pinilla said.

Scientists are learning which omega-3 fatty acids seem to be particularly important. One is docosahexaenoic acid or DHA, which is abundant in salmon. DHA, which reduces oxidative stress and improves synaptic plasticity and learning and memory, is the most abundant omega-3 fatty acid in the cell membranes of the brain.

"Brain and body are lacking in machinery to produce DHA, it must come through our diet," said Gomez-Pinilla, who was born and raised in salmon-rich Chile and eats salmon three times a week, along with a diet balanced. "Omega-3 fatty acids are essential."

A healthy diet and exercise can also reduce the effect of brain injuries and lead to better recovery, he said.

Recent research also supports the hypothesis that health can be passed on from generation to generation, and a number of innovative studies indicate that the effects of diet on mental health are passed on from generation to generation, said Gómez-Pinilla.

A long-term study that included over 100 years of birth, death, health and genealogy for 300 Swedish families in an isolated village showed that the risk of diabetes and premature death of a person increased if their paternal grandparents grew in times of abundance of food instead of food shortage.