Role of Food-Derived Bioactives in Cognitive Function, Mental Health, and Healthy Aging: A Nutritional Neuroscience Perspective

Dear Colleagues,

The relationship between nutrition and brain function has emerged over the past decade as one of the most rapidly advancing areas in biomedical and public health research. Growing scientific evidence indicates that naturally occurring food-derived bioactive compounds may play a key role in maintaining cognitive function, supporting mental health, and promoting healthy aging processes. The integrative framework of nutritional neuroscience enables the combined investigation of molecular mechanisms, clinical outcomes, and population-level health effects.

This Special Issue aims to offer a comprehensive overview of the rapidly evolving interdisciplinary field of nutritional neuroscience, with a core focus on the role of food-derived bioactives in brain health, neurocognitive function, and psychological well-being across the lifespan. Aligned with a major international research priority for aging societies, we place special emphasis on mechanistic, clinical, epidemiological, and nutritional intervention studies that drive the development of evidence-based dietary recommendations and preventive strategies for lifelong brain health.

Spanning fundamental research, clinical medicine, public health, and nutritional science, this topic builds a broad author and readership base. Its multidisciplinary scope welcomes diverse methodological approaches, elevating the scientific impact of contributions and advancing collective understanding of how nutrition shapes brain health across all life stages.

We invite original research articles, narrative and systematic reviews, and meta-analyses addressing the interactions between nutrition, brain health, and healthy aging, including (but not limited to) research from basic, clinical, and epidemiological fields, as well as dietary intervention studies. All submissions will advance the development of evidence-based nutritional strategies to support lifelong brain health.

Dr. Mónika Fekete
Guest Editor

Dr. Noémi Mózes
Guest Editor Assistant

Manuscript Submission Information

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