ReviewFrontiers in nutrition2026
Cocoa polyphenols in brain health: BDNF/CREB-mediated mechanisms in depression, cognition, and the gut-brain axis.
Review in Frontiers in nutrition, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
2 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Cocoa polyphenols have emerged as promising nutritional modulators of cerebral health through their multifaceted effects on neurobiological pathways. This review synthesizes contemporary clinical and preclinical evidence regarding their implications in depression, the gut-brain axis, neuroplasticity, and cognitive function across various neurological disorders and healthspan. Evidence derived from randomized controlled trials indicates that cocoa consumption may mitigate depressive symptoms and enhance mood states, potentially via the modulation of dopaminergic activity and emotional processing. Concurrently, cocoa polyphenols display prebiotic-like characteristics, altering the composition and diversity of gut microbiota, which may facilitate improvements in negative affect through the gut-brain axis. Nevertheless, the evidence pertaining to cognitive outcomes remains markedly inconsistent. While investigations utilizing animal models reliably indicate enhancements in spatial memory, hippocampal synaptic plasticity, neurogenesis, and equilibrium in oxidative stress, extensive human clinical trials yield either minimal or no substantial advantages in global cognitive function. Certain advancements are noted within specific areas, including executive function, alleviation of fatigue, and performance on tasks during stress-inducing scenarios. Mechanistically, cocoa polyphenols exhibit neuroprotective properties via the activation of Brain-derived neurotrophic factor/cAMP-response element binding protein signaling pathways, augmentation of cerebral blood circulation, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, as well as the modulation of mitochondrial and apoptotic mechanisms. In summary, cocoa polyphenols present a potentially effective dietary approach for fostering brain health, particularly concerning mood regulation and neuroplasticity; however, additional rigorously designed research is essential to elucidate their cognitive effectiveness and clinical significance.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.