Dean of the School of Research & Graduate Studies Heather Zwickey, PhD, spoke at the 14th Annual International Restorative Medicine Conference on the role of nutrition and inflammation in neuroprotection, using case studies in Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and dementia: “Neuroprotective Nutrition: Inflammation, Food, and the Brain-gut Axis.”

This general session presentation from the 14th Annual International Restorative Medicine Conference reviews the role of nutrition and inflammation in neuroprotection, using case studies in Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and dementia. It’s well known that nutrition impacts brain development in pediatric populations. However, there’s growing literature that demonstrates the direct and indirect role of nutrition on brain health during aging and neurological disease as well. Many nutrients have direct impact on brain chemicals like brain-derived neurotropic factor. Other nutrients affect microflora, and indirectly influence the brain and nervous system. To make things more complicated, the immune system and immune response to food overlays on the nervous system. This talk reviews the research and case studies that address the role of nutrition and inflammation in the aging brain.