Your gut may help your brain decide what to remember

She finds that signals from the gut to the brain play a role in forming lasting memories, particularly those related to meals. Research on rats shows that consuming nutritious foods strengthens memory activity, whereas drinking sweet, low-nutrient liquids does not have this effect. The vagus nerve is crucial in this process, as blocking it hinders the animals' ability to recall food locations. Diets high in fat and sugar can also weaken this memory system over time.

✦ AI-generated summary