What food can accelerate memory decline
A scientific review led by Owen Carmichael examines the link between ultra-processed foods and memory decline, cognitive impairment, and brain changes. Researchers found correlations with depression, dementia, and reduced brain volume, but emphasize that causality has not yet been proven. The review includes data from human studies, brain scans, and animal experiments.
A new scientific review led by Owen Carmichael from the Pennington Biomedical Research Center examines the link between ultra-processed foods and cognitive decline. Researchers analyzed data from human studies, brain scans, and animal experiments. They found correlations between consumption of such foods and depression, dementia, and reduced brain volume. However, the authors emphasize that causality has not yet been proven and note that people who consume more ultra-processed foods may differ in other lifestyle factors. The review covers studies from Brazil, Israel, and the UK. For example, in a Brazilian study, people who got more than 19.9% of their calories from ultra-processed foods showed faster declines in planning skills. UK Biobank data showed that every additional 25 grams of processed meat was associated with a 44-52% increased risk of dementia. The authors call for further research to establish causal links.