The effect of breakfast versus no breakfast on brain activity in adolescents when performing cognitive tasks, as assessed by fMRI

Nutr Neurosci. 2016;19(3):110-5. doi: 10.1179/1476830515Y.0000000011. Epub 2015 Jun 15.

Abstract

Objectives: The study examined the feasibility of utilizing functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) with a group of adolescent boys and girls to assess modifications in cognitive function, dependent upon the nutritional state of the participants.

Methods: Twenty children aged 12-14 years completed two cognitive trials, in a randomized counterbalanced order, one under fasting condition, one after consuming breakfast, during which continuous fMRI data were acquired.

Results: Although no statistically significant (P > 0.05) improvement in task performance was determined, significantly higher activation was recorded in the frontal, premotor, and primary visual cortex areas in the breakfast trial relative to the fasting condition.

Discussion: Such a finding may have important implications in the examination of the role of diet, and specifically breakfast, in determining children's performance within the school environment.

Keywords: Brain function; Breakfast; Cognitive processing; Nutrition; fMRI.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Comparative Study
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adolescent Behavior*
  • Adolescent Nutritional Physiological Phenomena*
  • Breakfast*
  • Cerebral Cortex / diagnostic imaging
  • Cerebral Cortex / metabolism*
  • Child
  • Child Behavior
  • Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena
  • Cognition Disorders / diagnostic imaging
  • Cognition Disorders / metabolism
  • Cognition Disorders / prevention & control*
  • Cognition*
  • Cross-Over Studies
  • Diet, Healthy*
  • Feasibility Studies
  • Female
  • Functional Neuroimaging
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Neurons / metabolism
  • Task Performance and Analysis