EFFECTS OF ENERGY AND MACRONUTRIENT INTAKE ON COGNITIVE FUNCTION THROUGH THE LIFESPAN

This paper reviews effects of both insufficient and excessive energy and macronutrient intake oncognition over the lifespan, including the prenatal period, infancy, childhood, and adulthood. inthe brain, the hippocampus is particularly vulnerable to both protein malnutrition and energy undernutritionin utero or infancy, resulting in impaired neurogenesis and deficits in memory andspatial learning, reduced anxiety and increased impulsivity, reflected in impairments of neurotransmittersystems. conversely, higher protein intake is associated with improved motor developmentbut not mental development, whereas breastfeeding benefits mental development.nevertheless, pre- and post-natal protein-energy supplementation has been shown to improvecognition in later childhood, and in adulthood, above energy alone. similarly, n-3 essential fattyacid intake during pregnancy may have long-lasting effects on children’s cognitive abilities. however,over-nutrition, particularly during gestation, may lead to metabolic programming that increasesrisk of cognitive impairment. in undernourished school children, breakfasts can benefitcognitive performance. in normally nourished children, benefits of breakfast are less clear; nevertheless,acutely, breakfasts lower in glycaemic index can benefit memory, whereas higher glycaemicbreakfasts may improve vigilance. this difference depends on the impact of the carbohydrateon cortisol release. in adolescents and adults, moderate carbohydrate loads can benefit cognition,provided that glucoregulation is efficient. protein intake may benefit memory by restrainingtask-related cortisol release. chronically high intake of saturated fats may contribute to cognitivedecline, whereas n-3 fatty acids, and perhaps reduced energy intake, may be protective. with agingpopulations, dietary prediction of cognition in adults is a key area for research.