How Food Choices Shape Memory, Cognition & Cravings | Dr. Scott Kanoski

Dietary patterns and metabolic health fundamentally shape neurocognition, particularly through the gut-brain-hippocampus axis. Dr. Scott Kanoski, a professor of neurobiology, explains how high-sugar and ultra-processed diets induce long-term hippocampal-dependent memory deficits, often mediated by shifts in the gut microbiome. While GLP-1 receptor agonists effectively suppress appetite by signaling through the vagus nerve to the brainstem, their long-term impact on brain function remains an area of active investigation. The hippocampus acts as a critical processor for interoceptive signals, using acetylcholine release to encode memories of eating occasions. Ultimately, maintaining a healthy dietary baseline is essential for preserving cognitive function, as the gut microbiome and vagal signaling pathways serve as dynamic, plastic systems that continuously update the brain on the body's metabolic status.