King's College London

Nutrition, Neurogenesis and Mental Health Laboratory

Eating your way to happiness! In BBC News, Sandrine commented on the impact of certain foods on neurogenesis and the relationship between food and mood.

The Observer featured an article on the Science of Food and Mood. This is part of a collaboration with the Observer and the Wellcome trust to produce a special series of events exploring the connections between food, health and life. In this article, the public can appreciate the role diet can play on mental health, as scientists around the world were interviewed to explain their findings. Doris explained in the article how her research has lead to a direct link between diet and the generation of new brain cells and their impact on mood (October 2011).

Sandrine and her team have also appeared in Heston Blumenthal’s Mission Impossible ’Submarine’ episode. The programme was first aired in Spring 2011, on Channel 4. Heston Blumenthal boards the nuclear-powered Royal Navy sub, HMS Turbulent, to shake up the sailors’ food. It’s not long before Heston realises he’s got a big job on his hands: the men are out on patrol for 90 days at a time, and they’re eating three stodgy meals a day. And with so little opportunity for exercise on board, it’s not a healthy diet - especially when the submariners’ jobs require very high levels of concentration. But how is Heston going to change it? Heston researches the effects of food on the brain. After a visit in the our lab, he gets inspired to develop recipes with brain enhancing ingredients - blueberries, mackerel and dark chocolate (ohhhh?!). Will Heston be able to persuade the Captain of HMS Turbulent to take up his recipes on board? You’d better watch!!

Interview of Sandrine on the role of nutrition on cognition at the Congress of Nutrition and Health in Brussels, Belgium (2010). In French!!!! or in Dutch and English