Radboud University
Food and Brain
health
Summary 2023
Sam
[Datum]
,Table of Contents
Brain basics (Arnoldussen)......................................................................................................................5
Summary...........................................................................................................................................5
Questions..........................................................................................................................................9
Name 6 cerebral arteries..............................................................................................................9
Name 2 cerebral veins..................................................................................................................9
Name the structure forming the blood-brain barrier (BBB).........................................................9
Explain the transport of glucose over the BBB and into astrocytes and neurons.........................9
Name 2 processes glucose regulates in the brain.........................................................................9
Explain the reaction of microglia and astrocytes in neuroinflammation......................................9
Name at least two neurotransmitters, their precursors and via which food you can obtain it....9
Explain the role of precursors in the synthesis of neurotransmitters...........................................9
Name the function of the hippocampus.....................................................................................10
Name the grey matter structures present in the basal ganglia and striatum.............................10
Cognitive aging (van Loenen)................................................................................................................11
Summary.........................................................................................................................................11
Questions:.......................................................................................................................................11
Describe the difference between normal and pathological ageing............................................11
Describe structural and functional brain changes associated with (cognitive) ageing...............12
Describe the properties and importance of specific ROIs within the context of cognitive ageing
...................................................................................................................................................12
Describe the evidence implying the potential of lifestyle interventions on battling cognitive
ageing.........................................................................................................................................12
Describe how neuroimaging can be applied to investigate the effect of lifestyle and the
underlying mechanisms of cognitive ageing...............................................................................12
Microbiota-gut-brain axis.....................................................................................................................13
Summary.........................................................................................................................................13
Questions........................................................................................................................................14
Describe evidence for a role of the gut microbiome in ageing and cognitive decline................14
Describe the mechanisms that are involved in the gut-brain axis..............................................15
Describe interventions that could target the gut microbiome and the gut brain axis................15
Describe how neuroimaging can be used in gut-brain axis research (COMBI study)..................15
,Food as cognitive enhancer (Esther Aarts)...........................................................................................15
Summary.........................................................................................................................................15
Questions........................................................................................................................................18
Explain how to measure different types of cognition in humans...............................................18
Mention three nutritional compounds which can affect cognition and describe the
neurobiological mechanisms by which these nutritional compounds can affect cognition.......18
Design a study to examine nutritional effects on cognition.......................................................18
Calculate a required group size for optimal statistical power (power calculation).....................18
Lifestyle and nutritional interventions in preclinical neuroscience (Wiesmann)..................................20
Questions........................................................................................................................................22
Name different imaging techniques and why there are important to investigate lifestyle and
nutritional interventions............................................................................................................22
Explain how these techniques are used in preclinical neuroscience..........................................22
Name several examples of lifestyle and nutritional interventions in preclinical Neuroscience..23
Role of nutrition on brain structure and function (Amanda Kiliaan).....................................................23
Questions........................................................................................................................................26
Provide an example of a lifestyle intervention...........................................................................26
Explain via which mechanisms lifestyle intervention can have beneficial effect on brain's
health.........................................................................................................................................26
The immune-brain axis (Esther Aarts)..................................................................................................26
Questions........................................................................................................................................29
Explain how the immune system can affect brain functioning...................................................29
Describe the behavioral changes associated with (neuro)inflammation....................................29
Describe how to design research to study the immune-to-brain link.........................................29
The immune-brain axis in obesity: The obesity spiral (Judith Scholing)................................................30
Questions........................................................................................................................................31
Describe evidence for altered motivational and food choice behavior in obesity......................31
Describe differences in brain reward processing associated with obesity.................................31
Describe the mechanisms through which obesity is linked to inflammation..............................31
Describe the evidence implying a role of inflammation in food choice behavior in obesity.......31
Describe how to design a study that helps us better understand the role of inflammation in
food choice behavior and motivation in obesity........................................................................31
, Test exam.............................................................................................................................................32
Name 6 cerebral arteries............................................................................................................32
Name 2 cerebral veins................................................................................................................32
Name the structure forming the blood-brain barrier (BBB).......................................................32
Explain the transport of glucose over the BBB and into astrocytes and neurons.......................32
Name 2 processes glucose regulates in the brain.......................................................................32
Explain the reaction of microglia and astrocytes in neuroinflammation....................................32
Name at least two neurotransmitters, their precursors and via which food you can obtain it. .32
Explain the role of precursors in the synthesis of neurotransmitters.........................................32
Name the function of the hippocampus.....................................................................................33
Name the grey matter structures present in the basal ganglia and striatum.............................33
Describe the difference between normal and pathological ageing............................................33
Describe structural and functional brain changes associated with (cognitive) ageing...............33
Describe the properties and importance of specific ROIs within the context of cognitive ageing
...................................................................................................................................................33
Describe the evidence implying the potential of lifestyle interventions on battling cognitive
ageing.........................................................................................................................................33
Describe how neuroimaging can be applied to investigate the effect of lifestyle and the
underlying mechanisms of cognitive ageing...............................................................................33
Describe evidence for a role of the gut microbiome in ageing and cognitive decline................33
Describe the mechanisms that are involved in the gut-brain axis..............................................33
Describe interventions that could target the gut microbiome and the gut brain axis................34
Describe how neuroimaging can be used in gut-brain axis research (COMBI study)..................34
Explain how to measure different types of cognition in humans...............................................34
Mention three nutritional compounds which can affect cognition and describe the
neurobiological mechanisms by which these nutritional compounds can affect cognition.......34
Design a study to examine nutritional effects on cognition.......................................................34
Name different imaging techniques and why there are important to investigate lifestyle and
nutritional interventions............................................................................................................34
Explain how these techniques are used in preclinical neuroscience..........................................34
Name several examples of lifestyle and nutritional interventions in preclinical Neuroscience..34
Provide an example of a lifestyle intervention...........................................................................35
Food and Brain
health
Summary 2023
Sam
[Datum]
,Table of Contents
Brain basics (Arnoldussen)......................................................................................................................5
Summary...........................................................................................................................................5
Questions..........................................................................................................................................9
Name 6 cerebral arteries..............................................................................................................9
Name 2 cerebral veins..................................................................................................................9
Name the structure forming the blood-brain barrier (BBB).........................................................9
Explain the transport of glucose over the BBB and into astrocytes and neurons.........................9
Name 2 processes glucose regulates in the brain.........................................................................9
Explain the reaction of microglia and astrocytes in neuroinflammation......................................9
Name at least two neurotransmitters, their precursors and via which food you can obtain it....9
Explain the role of precursors in the synthesis of neurotransmitters...........................................9
Name the function of the hippocampus.....................................................................................10
Name the grey matter structures present in the basal ganglia and striatum.............................10
Cognitive aging (van Loenen)................................................................................................................11
Summary.........................................................................................................................................11
Questions:.......................................................................................................................................11
Describe the difference between normal and pathological ageing............................................11
Describe structural and functional brain changes associated with (cognitive) ageing...............12
Describe the properties and importance of specific ROIs within the context of cognitive ageing
...................................................................................................................................................12
Describe the evidence implying the potential of lifestyle interventions on battling cognitive
ageing.........................................................................................................................................12
Describe how neuroimaging can be applied to investigate the effect of lifestyle and the
underlying mechanisms of cognitive ageing...............................................................................12
Microbiota-gut-brain axis.....................................................................................................................13
Summary.........................................................................................................................................13
Questions........................................................................................................................................14
Describe evidence for a role of the gut microbiome in ageing and cognitive decline................14
Describe the mechanisms that are involved in the gut-brain axis..............................................15
Describe interventions that could target the gut microbiome and the gut brain axis................15
Describe how neuroimaging can be used in gut-brain axis research (COMBI study)..................15
,Food as cognitive enhancer (Esther Aarts)...........................................................................................15
Summary.........................................................................................................................................15
Questions........................................................................................................................................18
Explain how to measure different types of cognition in humans...............................................18
Mention three nutritional compounds which can affect cognition and describe the
neurobiological mechanisms by which these nutritional compounds can affect cognition.......18
Design a study to examine nutritional effects on cognition.......................................................18
Calculate a required group size for optimal statistical power (power calculation).....................18
Lifestyle and nutritional interventions in preclinical neuroscience (Wiesmann)..................................20
Questions........................................................................................................................................22
Name different imaging techniques and why there are important to investigate lifestyle and
nutritional interventions............................................................................................................22
Explain how these techniques are used in preclinical neuroscience..........................................22
Name several examples of lifestyle and nutritional interventions in preclinical Neuroscience..23
Role of nutrition on brain structure and function (Amanda Kiliaan).....................................................23
Questions........................................................................................................................................26
Provide an example of a lifestyle intervention...........................................................................26
Explain via which mechanisms lifestyle intervention can have beneficial effect on brain's
health.........................................................................................................................................26
The immune-brain axis (Esther Aarts)..................................................................................................26
Questions........................................................................................................................................29
Explain how the immune system can affect brain functioning...................................................29
Describe the behavioral changes associated with (neuro)inflammation....................................29
Describe how to design research to study the immune-to-brain link.........................................29
The immune-brain axis in obesity: The obesity spiral (Judith Scholing)................................................30
Questions........................................................................................................................................31
Describe evidence for altered motivational and food choice behavior in obesity......................31
Describe differences in brain reward processing associated with obesity.................................31
Describe the mechanisms through which obesity is linked to inflammation..............................31
Describe the evidence implying a role of inflammation in food choice behavior in obesity.......31
Describe how to design a study that helps us better understand the role of inflammation in
food choice behavior and motivation in obesity........................................................................31
, Test exam.............................................................................................................................................32
Name 6 cerebral arteries............................................................................................................32
Name 2 cerebral veins................................................................................................................32
Name the structure forming the blood-brain barrier (BBB).......................................................32
Explain the transport of glucose over the BBB and into astrocytes and neurons.......................32
Name 2 processes glucose regulates in the brain.......................................................................32
Explain the reaction of microglia and astrocytes in neuroinflammation....................................32
Name at least two neurotransmitters, their precursors and via which food you can obtain it. .32
Explain the role of precursors in the synthesis of neurotransmitters.........................................32
Name the function of the hippocampus.....................................................................................33
Name the grey matter structures present in the basal ganglia and striatum.............................33
Describe the difference between normal and pathological ageing............................................33
Describe structural and functional brain changes associated with (cognitive) ageing...............33
Describe the properties and importance of specific ROIs within the context of cognitive ageing
...................................................................................................................................................33
Describe the evidence implying the potential of lifestyle interventions on battling cognitive
ageing.........................................................................................................................................33
Describe how neuroimaging can be applied to investigate the effect of lifestyle and the
underlying mechanisms of cognitive ageing...............................................................................33
Describe evidence for a role of the gut microbiome in ageing and cognitive decline................33
Describe the mechanisms that are involved in the gut-brain axis..............................................33
Describe interventions that could target the gut microbiome and the gut brain axis................34
Describe how neuroimaging can be used in gut-brain axis research (COMBI study)..................34
Explain how to measure different types of cognition in humans...............................................34
Mention three nutritional compounds which can affect cognition and describe the
neurobiological mechanisms by which these nutritional compounds can affect cognition.......34
Design a study to examine nutritional effects on cognition.......................................................34
Name different imaging techniques and why there are important to investigate lifestyle and
nutritional interventions............................................................................................................34
Explain how these techniques are used in preclinical neuroscience..........................................34
Name several examples of lifestyle and nutritional interventions in preclinical Neuroscience..34
Provide an example of a lifestyle intervention...........................................................................35
