Course Description

This evidence-based course examines the complex relationships between nutrition, metabolism, and brain health. Healthcare professionals will explore how metabolic dysfunction, inflammation, and gut-brain axis communication influence cognitive performance across the lifespan. The course synthesizes current research on dietary patterns, micronutrients, and metabolic biomarkers relevant to cognitive health. Content addresses practical clinical applications including nutritional assessment, evidence-based dietary guidance, and identification of at-risk populations. Emphasis is placed on metabolic-cognitive connections in conditions such as diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and age-related cognitive decline.

Purpose/Goal:

This course equips healthcare professionals with evidence-based knowledge to assess and address nutritional factors influencing cognitive function, with emphasis on metabolic mechanisms, clinical applications, and patient-centered dietary guidance.

Course Objectives:

Upon completion you will be able to do the following: 1. Explain the metabolic pathways by which glucose transport, insulin signaling, ketone utilization, and mitochondrial function influence cognitive processes including attention, memory, and mood regulation. 2. Analyze the mechanistic links between metabolic dysfunction (insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, glycemic variability) and neurodegenerative changes associated with cognitive decline. 3. Describe the roles of neuroinflammatory pathways, including blood-brain barrier permeability, microglial activation, and inflammatory cytokine signaling, and how dietary factors modulate these processes. 4. Explain the bidirectional communication mechanisms of the gut-brain axis, including short-chain fatty acid production, tryptophan metabolism, and their effects on cognitive function. 5. Appraise the strength of evidence for dietary patterns (Mediterranean, MIND, DASH, ketogenic) in preventing or slowing cognitive decline, distinguishing between randomized controlled trial and observational findings. 6. Identify clinical biomarkers and validated screening tools used to assess metabolic-cognitive risk and nutritional status in patients with cognitive concerns. 7. Differentiate the cognitive roles of specific micronutrients (B vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, iron, zinc, magnesium), including mechanisms, deficiency presentations, and at-risk populations. 8. Examine evidence-based approaches to nutritional assessment and dietary counseling for patients with metabolic-cognitive risk factors across diverse populations. 9. Evaluate scope-of-practice boundaries, interprofessional collaboration pathways, and ethical considerations when addressing nutrition-cognition concerns in clinical practice. 10. Develop patient-centered strategies to integrate nutrition-cognition science into clinical assessment, education, and care planning.

Course Content:

• Overview and Foundations of Nutrition and Cognitive Function • Metabolic Pathways: Glucose, Insulin, Ketones, and Brain Energetics • Mechanisms Linking Metabolic Dysfunction to Cognitive Decline • Neuroinflammation: Pathways, Dietary Modulation, and Brain Health • The Gut-Brain Axis: Microbiome, Inflammation, and Neurotransmitter Synthesis • Evidence-Based Dietary Patterns for Cognitive Health • Micronutrient Roles in Cognitive Function and Deficiency Recognition • Clinical Assessment: Biomarkers, Screening Tools, and Risk Stratification • Nutritional Considerations Across Special Populations • Patient Communication and Evidence-Based Dietary Counseling • Interprofessional Collaboration and Scope of Practice • Case Studies and Clinical Applications • Integration into Practice and Summary

Target Audience:

Healthcare professionals and allied health practitioners seeking evidence-based knowledge of nutrition-cognition relationships to support clinical assessment, patient education, and dietary guidance for individuals with metabolic-cognitive risk factors across diverse populations.

Criteria for Successful Completion:

Complete the course in full. Complete the evaluation survey. All course components must be completed by the learner individually. A Certificate of Completion will be issued automatically upon meeting all criteria.

Commercial Support:

This educational activity has not received any commercial sponsorship or financial support.

Conflicts of Interest and Relevant Financial Relationships:

JIVE Enterprises LLC and the course planner and author have no relevant financial relationships with any ineligible companies or commercial interests to disclose.

Accreditation:

Provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider #CEP18120 for 10.0 contact hours. This course fulfills nursing continuing education requirements in the following state(s): California.

Jurisdiction & Learner Responsibility:

Continuing education requirements vary by state; learners should consult their state nursing board for the most current information. Compliance with CE requirements is the responsibility of each individual learner. Completion of this course does not imply authorization to practice beyond the scope of nursing licensure. Learners are responsible for applying knowledge gained in accordance with their state’s Nurse Practice Act, employer policies, and clinical judgment.

Accommodations for Disabilities:

Every effort will be made to accommodate learners with disabilities. To request accommodations, please contact [email protected].

Non-Endorsement of Products:

Provider approval by the California Board of Registered Nursing does not imply endorsement of any commercial products or services.

Off-Label Use Disclosure:

This course does not include discussion of any off-label use of drugs, biologics, or medical devices.

Implicit Bias Statement:

This course acknowledges that dietary patterns, food choices, and nutritional practices are deeply influenced by cultural traditions, religious beliefs, socioeconomic factors, and personal values. Healthcare providers are encouraged to approach nutrition counseling with cultural humility, recognizing that patients' backgrounds, lived experiences, and access to resources shape their dietary behaviors and receptivity to nutritional guidance. Clinicians should assess individual patient circumstances, avoid assumptions based on cultural, demographic, or socioeconomic characteristics, and adapt recommendations to ensure patient-centered, respectful, and achievable dietary modifications. The course emphasizes that evidence-based nutritional guidance must be tailored to honor diverse food traditions, address barriers to implementation, and support sustainable behavior change within each patient's unique context.

Instructor:

Andrew Nakamura, BSN, RN – Registered nurse and continuing education developer specializing in evidence-based curriculum design for healthcare professionals. Developer of JIVE Enterprises LLC’s clinical continuing education programs on integrative health topics.

Best Practices:

JIVE Enterprises LLC adheres to rigorous standards in developing evidence-based, unbiased continuing education content, and maintains full compliance with all applicable CE regulations.

Refund & Cancellation Policy:

Learners may request a full refund within 14 days of enrollment, provided that no course sections have been completed.

Expiration Date:

December 31, 2027

Curriculum

2 Chapters · 2 Lessons

  1. 1

    Course Content

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Course Content

  2. 2

    Evaluation

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Evaluation

Copyright & Intellectual Property

© 2025 JIVE Enterprises LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this course may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written permission of the provider, except for personal, non-commercial educational use.

Education That Supports the Way You Practice

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