BREAKFAST, BLOOD-GLUCOSE, AND COGNITION

This article compares the findings of three studies that explored the role of increased blood glucose in improving memory function for subje cts who ate breakfast. An initial improvement in memory function for t hese subjects was found to correlate with blood glucose concentrations . In subsequent studies, morning fasting was found to adversely affect the ability to recall a word list and a story read aloud, as well as recall items while counting backwards. Failure to eat breakfast did no t affect performance on an intelligence test. It was concluded that br eakfast consumption preferentially influences tasks requiring aspects of memory. In the case of both word list recall and memory while count ing backwards, the decline in performance associated with not eating b reakfast was reversed by the consumption of a glucose-supplemented dri nk. Although a morning fast also affected the ability to recall a stor y read aloud, the glucose drink did not reverse this decline. It appea rs that breakfast consumption influences cognition via several mechani sms, including an increase in blood glucose.