title: The effect of breakfast versus no breakfast on brain activity in adolescents when performing cognitive tasks, as assessed by fMRI.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The study examined the feasibility of utilizing functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) with a group of adolescent boys and girls to assess modifications in cognitive function, dependent upon the nutritional state of the participants.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty children aged 12-14 years completed two cognitive trials, in a randomized counterbalanced order, one under fasting condition, one after consuming breakfast, during which continuous fMRI data were acquired.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although no statistically significant (P > 0.05) improvement in task performance was determined, significantly higher activation was recorded in the frontal, premotor, and primary visual cortex areas in the breakfast trial relative to the fasting condition.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Such a finding may have important implications in the examination of the role of diet, and specifically breakfast, in determining children's performance within the school environment.
authors.affiliation: a Exeter NIHR Clinical Research Facility, Medical School , University of Exeter , UK.
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fulford
authors.affiliation: b Children's Health and Exercise Research Centre, Sport and Health Sciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences , University of Exeter , UK.
authors.forename: Joanna L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Varley-Campbell
authors.affiliation: b Children's Health and Exercise Research Centre, Sport and Health Sciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences , University of Exeter , UK.
authors.forename: Craig A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Williams
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D017195:Adolescent Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D062408:Breakfast; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism*; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior; D002664:Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D003071:Cognition; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D000072001:Diet, Healthy; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D059907:Functional Neuroimaging; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis
keywords: Brain function; Breakfast; Cognitive processing; Nutrition; fMRI