Study: Healthier diet can improve memory

Improving the quality of your diet can help restore memory function, but high sugar intake could cause persistent cognitive impairment, even after adopting a healthy diet, according to a study by researchers at the University of Technology Sydney. The results of the study, published in the scientific journal Nutritional Neuroscience, suggest that the effects of an unbalanced diet on the brain are not fully reversible, especially when the diet is high in sugar.

• Memory can improve, but does not fully return to normal

The research team analyzed 27 preclinical studies to determine whether memory function can be restored after switching from an unhealthy diet to a balanced one. According to the study's lead author, Simone Rehn, the results show that changing your diet has positive effects, but the recovery is only partial. "Our results show that improving the quality of the diet has beneficial effects on memory. However, these improvements were incomplete,” explained the researcher. Even after several weeks of healthy eating, the cognitive performance of the animals studied did not reach the level of those who had never consumed foods high in fat or sugar.

• Sugar, the main factor hindering recovery

The study showed that the rodents that switched to a healthy diet achieved better results in memory tests than those that continued to consume unhealthy foods. However, the memory recovery was observed mainly in the case of high-fat diets, not in those based on high sugar consumption or combinations of sugar and fat. "This suggests that sugar may be a key factor in limiting memory recovery,” emphasized Simone Rehn. The researchers found that the memory tests analyzed reflected the activity of the hippocampus, a structure essential for the learning process and storing information. The hippocampus also plays an important role in regulating appetite and food intake. Damage to this region can have significant consequences on cognitive performance and eating behavior.

The study did not identify significant changes in anxiety, physical activity level, or motivation related to food. This indicates that the effects of unhealthy diets were manifested mainly at the level of memory and cognitive functions.

• Implications for public health

The research brings new arguments in favor of reducing sugar consumption and adopting a balanced diet as early as possible. The conclusions suggest that although changing eating style can bring important benefits to the brain, some effects of excessive sugar consumption could persist in the long term.

For specialists, the results emphasize the importance of prevention and nutritional education, especially in the context of the increase in the consumption of ultra-processed products and the increasing incidence of metabolic and cognitive disorders.