Food for Thought: The Relationship Between Food, Gut and Brain Course - EIT Food
FutureLearn
Key Information
Campus location
Online Belgium
Languages
English
Study format
Distance Learning
Duration
5 weeks
Pace
Part time
Tuition fees
USD 59 / per course *
Application deadline
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Earliest start date
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* you can learn it for free or upgrade the course and have extra benefits for $59
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Introduction
The gut and brain are very closely linked. Explore how neurology, the microbiome and more interact to affect health.
Find out how your diet affects your brain, and your brain affects your diet
Please note this course runs without facilitation.
Over the last few years, the importance of the link between gut and brain has become clear. In 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.
When would you like to start?
Most FutureLearn courses run multiple times. Every run of a course has a set start date but you can join it and work through it after it starts.
- Available now¡
Who will you learn with?
Alessandro Cicerale I am a research fellow and lecturer at the University of Torino, Italy. My research activities include neuroimaging of eating disorders and neurostimulation with therapeutic and rehabilitative goals. | Monika M. Kaczmarek I am a professor at the Institute of Animal Reproduction & Food Research Polish Academy of Sciences in Poland. I am interested in molecular aspects of reproduction, including diet-mediated programming. | Nanette Stroebele-Benschop I am a professor and lecturer for nutritional psychology at the University of Hohenheim in Germany. I am interested in the psychological aspects of our eating and consumer behaviour. |
Who developed the course?
EIT Food
EIT Food is Europe’s leading food innovation initiative, with the aim to create a sustainable and future-proof food sector.
University of Turin
The University of Turin is one of the largest and most prestigious Italian universities, with about 70,000 students, 4,000 employees, and 1,800 research fellows, encompassing all academic sectors.
European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT)
This activity has received funding from EIT Food, the innovation community on Food of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the EU, under the Horizon 2020, the EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation.
Curriculum
What topics will you cover?
The course focuses on the relationship between food, brain and mind:
- How does the brain work?
- How do emotions and thoughts affect our food choices?
- How do diets and nutritional deficiencies affect our brain?
- Reward systems and their relationship with food.
- The link between the microbiome and brain.
Program Outcome
What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you‘ll 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).
- Discuss the topics of the course and their relationship with daily life.
Ideal Students
Who is the course for
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.
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.