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General methodological considerations for the assessment of nutritional influences on human cognitive functions

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Summary

The premise that cognitive functioning can be influenced through dietary means has gained widespread interest. The assessment of cognitive functioning is a key method to scientifically substantiate such nutritional effects on cognition. The current paper provides a basic overview of the main concepts, issues and pitfalls of human cognitive research. General methods of cognitive assessment, selection of appropriate tests, factors that may mediate task performance and issues pertaining to the interpretation of the results are discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Nestlé Research Center Nutrition and Health Dept., Lausanne, Switzerland

    Jeroen A. J. Schmitt

  2. ILSI Europe A.I.S.B.L., 83 Avenue E. Mounier, 6, 1200, Brussels, Belgium

    Jeroen A. J. Schmitt

  3. University of Wales at Swansea, Dept. of Psychology, Swansea, UK

    David Benton

  4. Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz, Institut für Psychologie, Graz, Austria

    K. Wolfgang Kallus

Authors
  1. Jeroen A. J. Schmitt
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  2. David Benton
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  3. K. Wolfgang Kallus
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Correspondence to Jeroen A. J. Schmitt.

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Schmitt, J.A.J., Benton, D. & Kallus, K.W. General methodological considerations for the assessment of nutritional influences on human cognitive functions. Eur J Nutr 44, 459–464 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-005-0585-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-005-0585-4

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