Why Study Brain Function and Behavior?
Among the public, there is a strong and persistent belief that what we eat affects our mental and emotional states and, in general, our ability to perform day-to-day activities and to meet life’s demands. It seems we all have theories, or at least suspicions, about the functional importance of this or that food or specific nutrient. In fact, some of us alter our diets and take supplements and freely advise others to do likewise, with the firm belief that such changes will improve the way we feel and our ability to perform. This belief often creates a psychological environment amenable to food faddism and uncritical acceptance of claims made by self-styled “nutritionists.” Today’s “smart” foods, promoted as a way to increase “brain power” and enhance memory, are a recent example. Scientific evidence to support most of these claims of the beneficial effects of specific nutrients or diets is at best conflicting and, more typically, simply lacking. The study of nutrition, brain function, a
