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Thesis
Examining diet and the brain: how does diet quality relate to cognitive reserve?
Master of Science (M.S.), Drexel University
Mar 2026
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/00011311
Abstract
Cognitive reserve (CR) is an active process in the brain resulting from an accumulation of cognitive abilities throughout the course of one's life. When faced with increased challenge or neurologic insult, individuals can use CR as a compensatory mechanism to maintain typical cognitive functioning. In the absence of neuroimaging measures, three proxies that have been identified as contributors to CR are used to estimate CR: educational attainment, occupational complexity, and leisure activity. Although significant relationships between these three proxies and CR have been demonstrated, they are unable to account for all the variance in CR. As such, previous research has suggested that other modifiable lifestyle factors may play a role, but limited work has been done to evaluate how these lifestyle factors are related to CR. Diet quality has been identified as a lifestyle factor which may contribute to CR. Existing literature has already demonstrated connections between diet and cognitive performance across the lifespan, indicating that diet quality is important for long-term cognitive health. Additionally, studies have found that alcohol consumption and nicotine use are related to both cognition and diet. Individuals who report higher levels of alcohol and nicotine use tend to display greater cognitive impairments and worse dietary behaviors. This study aimed to examine the relationship between CR and diet quality, determine how age moderates this relationship, and examine the relationship between CR and alcohol and nicotine use. Using an online survey, we gathered data from healthy adults and found that CR is positively associated with diet quality, such that as CR increases we would also expect diet quality to improve. Age was also shown to be a significant predictor of diet quality; however, CR was no longer significant when age was included in the model. The relationship between alcohol and CR was not significant, and the relationship between alcohol and nicotine was only significant when age was not included in the model. These findings demonstrate the important influence of lifestyle factors on cognitive health, and have the potential to be used to inform preventative treatment and long-term cognitive health promotion strategies.
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Details
- Title
- Examining diet and the brain
- Creators
- Riley L. McHugh
- Contributors
- Maria Teresa Schultheis (Advisor)
- Awarding Institution
- Drexel University
- Degree Awarded
- Master of Science (M.S.)
- Publisher
- Drexel University
- Number of pages
- vi, 63 pages
- Resource Type
- Thesis
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Psychological and Brain Sciences (Psychology); College of Arts and Sciences; Drexel University
- Other Identifier
- 991022170152804721