Food for Thought: The Relationship Between Food, Gut and Brain
The gut and brain are very closely linked. Explore how neurology, the microbiome and more interact to affect health


Objectives
Find out how your diet affects your brain, and your brain affects your diet.
Over the last few years, the importance of the link between gut and brain has become clear. On this course you’ll explore this complex relationship.
You’ll learn how the brain works, and is affected by diet and nutritional deficiencies. You’ll also discover less known, cutting-edge subjects such as the gut-brain axis, the microbiome, and the relationship between food and reproductive health.
This course is open to everyone, but may be of particular interest to psychologists or people working in health and well-being. No previous experience is required, though a background knowledge of biology or psychology may help.
Please note this course runs without facilitation. A Spanish version of the course can be found here. The Educators won’t be able to join the discussions themselves or respond to individual comments, but the course encourages a strong learning community. The learning is focused around debate and discussion – supporting other learners, sharing your own experience and knowledge, and listening to new perspectives. We hope that you will enjoy interacting with and learning from each other in this way. Don’t forget to comment, reply to other learners and ‘like’ comments.
Advantages
Once completed, participants will be able to:
- Explain the role of our diet on brain function;
- Reflect on the role of psychological and neurobiological factors in our food choices;
- Reflect on the possible causes (biological, social, psychological) of unhealthy and pathological eating behaviours;
- Describe the connection between the brain and our digestive system (gut); and
- Discuss the topics of the course and their relationship with daily life.
Duration & Dates
Flexible
Audience & Eligibility
Everyone, but may be of particular interest to psychologists or people working in health and well-being
Level
BeginnerPrice
Free
Language
English, spanishRegistration Open & Seats
OpenLocation
OnlineKeep me informed
Structure & Modules
Week 1: Introduction
- Introduction to the brain and cognition
Week 2: Responses to feeding, reward systems and food addiction
- The reward system and response to feeding
- Food addiction
Week 3: Cognitive and emotional influences on food behaviors
- Emotions and food intake
- Cognition and food intake
Week 4: Brain, mind and our diet
- Food and our brain: the good...
- ... and the bad
Week 5: Gut-brain axis and the microbiome
- Microbiome and the gut-brain axis
- Microbiome and the brain
Quotes
Nira Ramachandran
Funda
Kath
Programme lead

Alessandro Cicerale
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