Nowadays, neuropsychiatric disorders have been recognized as a huge socioeconomic burden. Despite developments in pharmacological approaches, several therapeutic needs remain unmet, especially regarding prevention strategies. Most observational studies have reported the association between a healthy diet, such as the Mediterranean diet, and a decreased risk of mood disorders and Alzheimer's disease, and related dementias. Growing shreds of evidence have also highlighted the role of nutrition in the physiopathology of different neuropsychiatric disorders through its influence on inflammatory pathways, the brain-gut-microbiome axis, and other mechanisms. This emerging area has been named 'Nutritional Psychiatry' and has great potential as an adjunctive approach for the prevention and treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders. Conversely, patients with neuropsychiatric disorders are at increased risk of embracing unhealthy diet and lifestyle habits that, in addition to medication-related side effects, can lead to obesity and other metabolic diseases. Therefore, there is a complex bidirectional link between nutrition and brain disorders.
The aim of this research topic is to:
1. Explore the mechanisms underlying the link between nutrition and neuropsychiatric disorders, such as but not limited to: (i) inflammation; (ii) oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction; (iii) hormonal and neurotransmitter changes; and (iv) brain-gut microbiome axis and dysbiosis;
2. Evaluate clinical and epidemiological evidence on the association between nutritional aspects (e.g., body composition, food intake) and neuropsychiatric disorders;
3. Investigate the effect of nutritional approaches or dietary interventions (e.g., dietary patterns and supplements) on cognitive and behavioral symptoms.
We welcome narrative and systematic reviews (including meta-analyses) and original research studies (pre-clinical, translational, and clinical research). Related themes include the following topics:
- Studies on the association between metabolic diseases (e.g., obesity-related metabolic complications, diabetes) and neuropsychiatric disorders (e.g., mood disorders, schizophrenia, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases);
- Potential shared and/or causative mechanisms underlying the link between metabolic and neuropsychiatric disorders;
- Use of microbiota-directed approaches in treating neuropsychiatric disorders.
Nowadays, neuropsychiatric disorders have been recognized as a huge socioeconomic burden. Despite developments in pharmacological approaches, several therapeutic needs remain unmet, especially regarding prevention strategies. Most observational studies have reported the association between a healthy diet, such as the Mediterranean diet, and a decreased risk of mood disorders and Alzheimer's disease, and related dementias. Growing shreds of evidence have also highlighted the role of nutrition in the physiopathology of different neuropsychiatric disorders through its influence on inflammatory pathways, the brain-gut-microbiome axis, and other mechanisms. This emerging area has been named 'Nutritional Psychiatry' and has great potential as an adjunctive approach for the prevention and treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders. Conversely, patients with neuropsychiatric disorders are at increased risk of embracing unhealthy diet and lifestyle habits that, in addition to medication-related side effects, can lead to obesity and other metabolic diseases. Therefore, there is a complex bidirectional link between nutrition and brain disorders.
The aim of this research topic is to:
1. Explore the mechanisms underlying the link between nutrition and neuropsychiatric disorders, such as but not limited to: (i) inflammation; (ii) oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction; (iii) hormonal and neurotransmitter changes; and (iv) brain-gut microbiome axis and dysbiosis;
2. Evaluate clinical and epidemiological evidence on the association between nutritional aspects (e.g., body composition, food intake) and neuropsychiatric disorders;
3. Investigate the effect of nutritional approaches or dietary interventions (e.g., dietary patterns and supplements) on cognitive and behavioral symptoms.
We welcome narrative and systematic reviews (including meta-analyses) and original research studies (pre-clinical, translational, and clinical research). Related themes include the following topics:
- Studies on the association between metabolic diseases (e.g., obesity-related metabolic complications, diabetes) and neuropsychiatric disorders (e.g., mood disorders, schizophrenia, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases);
- Potential shared and/or causative mechanisms underlying the link between metabolic and neuropsychiatric disorders;
- Use of microbiota-directed approaches in treating neuropsychiatric disorders.
