“Our brains are so pharmaceutically inclined,” he said. “This fits into the model of pills.”

At the same time, tDCS could also challenge the current, pill-centric paradigm, by pushing psychiatrists to go beyond old notions of serotonin deficiencies and chemical imbalances, and to think more broadly about getting the brain unstuck. The two treatments together, research suggests may work together to nudge the brain toward a more plastic, activated state to help people overcome old patterns.

For instance, Dr. Somayya Kajee, a psychiatrist in Norwich, England, has found that tDCS helped some of her patients taper off an antidepressant or avoid having to start on another one. She added she has successfully used Flow to treat her neurodivergent patients who were taking medication for A.D.H.D. or autism, and who did not want to add on an S.S.R.I.

Ms. Davies started tDCS a few weeks after increasing her Prozac dosage. When she first put the headset on for 30 minutes, the recommended interval, she recalled feeling only a slight tingling — a “spicy sensation,” similar to having your hair bleached, as a participant in a clinical trial put it.

But within a few days, something shifted for Ms. Davies. She felt clearer, she said. The harsh voice in her head quieted. It was as if the world was in color again.

She said she could not say for sure what made the difference — the tDCS, delayed effects of the antidepressant, the passage of time or some combination — but “whatever it was helped to make me think, ‘Actually, maybe I can do this,’” she said. For the first time, she looked forward to giving her baby a bath.

It’s well-known that ultraprocessed foods (UPFs) are not good for overall health — but new research has uncovered further evidence that this diet could negatively impact the brain.

The study, published in the journal Alzheimer’s and Dementia by the Alzheimer’s Association, revealed that UPFs are linked to more than 30 adverse health outcomes, including several dementia risk factors, like cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and obesity.

Researchers from Australia’s Monash University analyzed more than 2,000 dementia-free Australian adults between the ages of 40 and 70, comparing their diets to cognitive function.

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They found that each 10% increase in UPF intake was associated with lower attention scores and higher dementia risk, regardless of whether the adults typically followed a healthy diet, like the Mediterranean diet.

There was no significant link found between UPF consumption and memory.

By identifying food processing as a contributor to poorer cognition, the study “supports the need to refine dietary guidelines,” the researchers concluded.

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As the data was self-reported, this could pose a limitation to the strength of the findings, the team noted.

In an interview with Fox News Digital, Dr. Daniel Amen, a California-based psychiatrist and founder of Amen Clinics, discussed how diet has a “powerful impact” on the brain.

“Your brain is an energy-hungry organ,” he said. “It uses about 20% of the calories you consume, so the quality of those calories matters.”

Food is either “medicine or poison,” according to the doctor, who called out ultraprocessed foods like packaged snacks, soft drinks and ready-made meals that tend to be higher in sugar, unhealthy fats, additives and low-quality ingredients.

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These foods can promote inflammation, insulin resistance, poor blood flow and oxidative stress, all of which are “bad for the brain,” according to Amen.

The brain expert noted that the study revealed even a 10% increase in ultraprocessed food intake – equivalent to roughly a pack of chips per day – was linked to a “measurable drop in attention, even when people had otherwise healthy diets.”

“Attention is the gateway to learning, memory, decision-making and problem-solving,” Amen said. “If you can’t focus, you can’t fully encode information.”

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The “big takeaway,” according to the doctor, is to “love foods that love you back.”

“You may love the taste of chips, cookies and candy, but they don’t love you (or your brain) back,” he said. “Ultraprocessed foods may claim to be sugar-free, low-carb or keto-friendly, but researchers noted that ultraprocessing can destroy the natural structure of food – and can introduce additives or processing chemicals that may affect cognition.”

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Amen suggests sticking to real food that grows on plants or animals, instead of food “made in plants.”

“Build meals around colorful vegetables and fruits, clean protein, healthy fats, nuts, seeds and high-fiber carbohydrates,” he recommended. “Start by replacing one ultraprocessed food per day with a brain-healthy option.”

That might mean swapping out chips for nuts, soda for water or unsweetened green tea, and packaged sweets for berries. “Small choices done consistently can change your brain and your life,” the doctor emphasized.

As UPFs have been shown to worsen several dementia risk factors, Amen stressed that people at risk of cognitive decline should “get serious about prevention as early as possible.”

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“If you have a family history of dementia, memory concerns, diabetes, high blood pressure or weight issues, your diet is not a side issue – it’s a primary brain-health intervention,” Amen said.

“Remember, you’re not stuck with the brain you have. You can make it better, and it starts with the next bite.”

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Fox News Digital reached out to the study researchers for comment.

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