GW4 Nutriomics for Brain Health

It is well known that poor nutrition may contribute to development of chronic diseases like ADHD, depression, bipolar disorder and other psychiatric diseases. The foods we eat play important role in regulating many processes including brain development, mood and cognition. In other words, a healthy, balanced diet supports a healthy brain.

Sadly, our modern population is often exposed to unhealthy foods which in the long-term can affect mental health and life quality. Our food choices and patterns are influenced by many factors such as individual preferences, residency/accessibility or socio-economic status. The modern so-called “Western diet” has become very popular in urbanized and developing countries. This type of diet is characterized by increased consumption of processed foods, high in calories, poor in nutrients, and increased ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 dietary lipids (up to 50:1).

Omega-3 fatty acids have been a focus of brain health research for decades, with observational studies showing protective effects of dietary long chain docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) on the risk of numerous mental health outcomes. However, the design and interpretation of these studies present major challenges and there remains a lack of consensus on some key experimental factors.   To overcome these challenges and provide reliable guidelines it is essential to undertake a multi-disciplinary approach and integrate genetic, molecular and epidemiological knowledge and that is exactly what this research community aims to do.

Further research into omega-3 fatty acids could establish the mechanisms underlying the association with psychiatric conditions, which could provide insights into interventions for both treatment and prevention. The diversity of expertise and research methodologies available across GW4 universities from Cardiff, Bristol, Bath and Exeter offers an opportunity to collaborate on future projects and funding applications, as well as improve the quality and impact of research output and dissemination.

The main funded activity of the Development Award is a full day in-person stakeholders scientific coordination meeting to establish the next steps for projects and further grants. The scientific coordination meeting will be followed by an online impact meeting with collaborators to disseminate research findings to date, aiming to stimulate discussion around important questions and challenges, and generate a platform for data sharing within the network.