Understanding the Effect of Diet on Cognition

SUMMARY: Researchers will examine how different types of diets affect cognitive health in dogs using data from the Golden Retriever Lifetime Study.

THE PROBLEM: Cognitive decline becomes increasingly common in aging dogs. There is evidence in people that poor diet quality is linked to a variety of health conditions, including cognitive problems. Researchers suspect that the same could be true for dogs.

THE PROJECT: Using data from the Golden Retriever Lifetime Study, the research team will explore whether there is a relationship between the type of diet and the total nutritional completeness and cognitive outcomes in dogs, paying particular attention to the use of commercially processed foods.

POTENTIAL IMPACT: Should a causal link between CPF diets and cognitive outcomes in dogs be found, further research into the mechanisms for this finding would be warranted. Should the opposite relationship exist, it may very well be that the “processing” component of CPF foods is less important than the role of dietary completeness in cognitive function health outcomes in dogs. Either outcome will offer valuable insights and could inform human health research, particularly studies exploring the effects of ultra-processed foods on cognitive diseases.