A study published in The FASEB Journal found plenty of evidence that choosing the right foods could raise intelligence and mental abilities, at least in animals.
"I hope the human brain responds like the animals' brains in these experiments, in which a particular treatment increased the number of nerve connections (synapses) and so improved memory and learning," says Dr Richard Wurtman.
The study was done in gerbils, which were given three substances needed for healthy brain membranes: choline, found in eggs; uridine monophosphate, found in beets; and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), found in fish oil. Control gerbils got none of them.
After four weeks, the gerbils given choline and uridine and/or DHA were better at tasks such as finding their way through mazes. When the scientists examined their brains, they found biochemical evidence of more active synapses than normal, linked with more intelligent behaviour.
"Now we know how to make mice smarter, and the hope extends to improving intelligence in humans," said Dr Gerald Weissmann, the journal's editor. "Frankly, that will take time."
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