Roles of Essential Nutrients in Memory Performance and Their Mechanisms

Abstract

Nutrients and foods that are beneficial for the brain are currently the focus of much attention. However, their precise roles in brain function and the mechanisms involved remain unclear. State-of-the-art technologies for analyzing the mechanisms of brain function, such as imaging, electrophysiology, molecular biology, and behavioral studies, have recently been established and applied for clarifying the roles of essential nutrients in brain function, especially learning and memory. In this review, I present our findings on the effects of magnesium or vitamin B₁ deficiency on memory performance in mice. We found that magnesium or vitamin B₁ deficiency impairs hippocampus-dependent memory at the behavioral level and induces neuroinflammation in the brain at the molecular level. In particular, vitamin B₁ deficiency leads to strong neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration in the hippocampus. These results, in combination with other findings, suggest common mechanisms by which abnormal nutritional intake induces neuroinflammation and impairs memory performance.