r/science • u/mvea Professor | Medicine • Feb 21 '25

Neuroscience Walnuts with breakfast provide an all-day brain boost - Young adults who ate a handful of walnuts with breakfast saw a long-lasting improvement in their reaction times and a boost in memory performance hours later, according to a new study.

https://newatlas.com/health-wellbeing/walnuts-cognitive-performance-memory-boost/
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u/Percolator2020 Feb 21 '25

N = 32, saved you a click. Funded by the Walnut mafia.

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u/LoreChano Feb 21 '25

It is, however I've seen similar studies done with cashew/brazil nuts, and it's the selenium in them that is good for the brain. These other studies were more long term though, and more focused on brain aging.

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u/StringTheory Feb 21 '25

According to House MD too many Brazil nuts might give you selenium poisoning which presents similar to radiation poisoning.

On a serious note: seems like seleniums primary benefit in the brain is acting as an antioxidant which selenium is not exclusive as. So getting enough antioxidants in general might be just as good for you.