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Nutrients
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Dietary Factors and Emotion and Cognitive Health
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Dietary Factors and Emotion and Cognitive Health

A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Nutrition and Neuro Sciences".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 August 2026 | Viewed by 1092

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Andreea Sălcudean

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Department of Ethics and Social Sciences, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Targu Mures, Targu Mures, Romania
2. Center for Mental Health Disorders, Mures County Hospital, Targu Mures, Romania
Interests: behavior and behavior mechanisms; behavioral neuroscience; psychiatric condition; anxiety; depressive symptoms; nutrition; neuropsychology; neuroethics; clinical neurophysiology; psychopharmacology; neuroinflammation; cognitive impairment; dietary patterns

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue, titled “Dietary Factors and Emotion and Cognitive Health”, aims to explore the complex role of dietary factors in modulating emotional status and maintaining cognitive function, with implications on the biological mechanisms involved in the neuroinflammatory cascade, neuronal dysfunction, and cognitive decline.

A major focus of this Special Issue is the way in which nutritional factors influence the neurobiological mechanisms underlying symptoms of depression and anxiety, as well as their impact on cognitive health. In addition, nutritional factors may modulate neuroinflammatory processes and molecular pathways associated with oxidative stress, synaptic plasticity, neuronal integrity and neurotransmission, with potential implications on neurodegenerative processes. Several clinical studies evidence that dietary factors can be associated with both neuroprotective and neurotoxic effects, with significant consequences for mental health.

For this Special Issue, we invite the submission of original research articles, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses addressing this broad topic with interdisciplinary relevance, including but not limited to, the following:

  • The effects of diet on neuroinflammation and cognitive function;
  • The relationship between diet, emotions, and mental health;
  • Dietary factors involved in cognitive decline;
  • Investigation of the diet–microbiome–brain axis and its impact on mental health;
  • Clinical implications for the prevention and management of cognitive disorders from a dietary perspective.

We kindly invite you to contribute to this interdisciplinary scientific endeavor, which aims to provide up-to-date perspectives on the links between diet, emotion, and mental health.

Sincerely,

Dr. Andreea Sălcudean
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nutrients is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • behavior and behavior mechanism
  • behavioral neuroscience
  • psychiatric condition
  • anxiety
  • depression
  • nutrition
  • neuropsychology
  • neuroethics
  • clinical neurophysiology
  • psychopharmacology
  • neuroinflammation
  • cognitive impairment
  • dietary patterns

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 1349 KB  
Article
Dietary Behaviors, Digestive Symptoms, and Neurovegetative Features in Disorders of Gut–Brain Interaction: A Cross-Sectional Clinical Study
by Lavinia Cristina Moleriu, Raluca Lupusoru, Călin Muntean, Teodora Piroș, Alina Popescu, Roxana Sirli, Camelia Nica, Daliborca Cristina Vlad, Dora Mihaela Cîmpian, Diana Mihaela Corodan Comiati, Andrei Luca Dumitrașcu and Victor Dumitrașcu
Nutrients 2026, 18(7), 1023; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18071023 - 24 Mar 2026
Viewed by 381
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Disorders of Gut–Brain Interaction (DGBIs), particularly irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), are frequently underdiagnosed in clinical practice, contributing to a substantial hidden burden of disease. This study aimed to quantify this “symptomatic iceberg” by comparing the prevalence of formal IBS diagnoses with [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Disorders of Gut–Brain Interaction (DGBIs), particularly irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), are frequently underdiagnosed in clinical practice, contributing to a substantial hidden burden of disease. This study aimed to quantify this “symptomatic iceberg” by comparing the prevalence of formal IBS diagnoses with a broader symptom-based case definition in a clinical cohort. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 194 adult subjects from a gastroenterology clinic in Western Romania. Data on demographics, clinical diagnoses, self-reported symptoms, and eating behaviors were collected. For the case–control analysis, patients with confirmed organic gastrointestinal pathology or incomplete data were excluded. The final analytical sample consisted of 52 patients classified as having a functional DGBI phenotype and 84 asymptomatic controls without organic disease, while 58 were excluded from the analysis. Results: While only 4.4% (95% CI: 2.0–9.3%) of the cohort (N = 136) had a formal IBS diagnosis, 47.8% (95% CI: 39.6–56.1%) met criteria for an IBS-compatible symptom cluster, yielding an underdiagnosis ratio of 10.8. Neuro-vegetative symptoms such as sweating (19.1%) and dizziness (11.8%) were highly prevalent. In the case–control analysis, patients with a functional DGBI phenotype had a significantly higher mean BMI compared to controls (28.15 ± 6.49 vs. 24.47 ± 4.60 kg/m2; p = 0.001). DGBI cases were less likely to report regular snacking behavior (OR = 0.36; 95% CI: 0.18–0.74; p = 0.009), suggesting behavioral adaptation. A sensitivity analysis excluding participants with CRP > 10 mg/L (n = 98) confirmed the robustness of these associations, indicating that minor systemic inflammation did not bias the primary findings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dietary Factors and Emotion and Cognitive Health)
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22 pages, 1375 KB  
Article
Dietary Patterns, Cooking Methods, and Their Association with Prediabetes Risk Markers in Romanian University Students: A Cross-Sectional Analysis
by Teodora Piroș, Raluca Lupusoru, Lavinia Cristina Moleriu, Călin Muntean, Radu Dumitru Moleriu, Dora Mihalea Cîmpian, Mădălina Gabriela Cincu, Elena Gabriela Strete, Amalia Gabriela Timofte and Ruxandra-Cristina Marin
Nutrients 2026, 18(6), 977; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18060977 - 19 Mar 2026
Viewed by 489
Abstract
Background: Young adulthood represents a critical period for the emergence of early metabolic disturbances, potentially influenced by dietary shifts toward convenience and ultra-processed foods. However, evidence linking dietary patterns and cooking practices with objective metabolic biomarkers in Romanian university students remains limited. [...] Read more.
Background: Young adulthood represents a critical period for the emergence of early metabolic disturbances, potentially influenced by dietary shifts toward convenience and ultra-processed foods. However, evidence linking dietary patterns and cooking practices with objective metabolic biomarkers in Romanian university students remains limited. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 693 students aged 18–24 years at the Victor Babeș University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Romania (June–July 2025). Dietary habits, food preferences, and cooking practices were assessed using a structured online questionnaire, while anthropometric and biochemical data were obtained from university health records. The primary outcome was glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), a marker of average blood glucose levels over the previous 2–3 months. Prediabetes was defined as HbA1c 5.7–6.4%. Dietary patterns were identified using k-means clustering based on fast-food consumption frequency, main meal of the day, fruit and vegetable intake frequency, and predominant cooking method. Multivariable regression models assessed associations between dietary variables and glycemic or lipid outcomes. Results: Prediabetes prevalence was 21.1% (diabetes: 1.4%). Three dietary patterns were identified: health-conscious (prediabetes 15.4%), mixed (20.0%), and fast-food oriented (27.3%; χ2 p = 0.003). Fast-food consumption frequency was independently associated with higher prediabetes risk (OR = 1.78 per category; 95% CI 1.38–2.30; p < 0.001) and higher HbA1c levels (β = 0.147; p < 0.001), while fruit and vegetable intake showed an inverse association with HbA1c (β = −0.109; p < 0.001). A dose–response relationship was observed between fast-food frequency and both HbA1c and prediabetes prevalence (p-trend < 0.001). An interaction between high-temperature cooking methods and frequent fast-food consumption was observed for HbA1c (p = 0.023). BMI and sex were the strongest predictors of lipid outcomes, although fast-food intake was associated with higher triglyceride levels (p = 0.034). Conclusions: Among Romanian university students, dietary patterns characterized by frequent fast-food consumption were associated with higher HbA1c levels and greater prediabetes prevalence. A high-temperature cooking method was associated with higher glycemic levels when combined with frequent fast-food intake. These findings suggest that early dietary behaviors during university years may be relevant for metabolic risk profiles in young adults. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dietary Factors and Emotion and Cognitive Health)
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