Peanut intake may boost brain insulin response in older adults

A Maastricht University Medical Center study found that older adults who ate unsalted, skin-roasted peanuts daily for 16 weeks showed improved brain insulin responsiveness. The effect appeared in a right-hemisphere cluster that included memory-related regions such as the hippocampus and posterior cingulate gyrus. Insulin helps support nerve cell survival and communication, and reduced brain sensitivity to it has been linked to age-related cognitive decline.

The Maastricht trial enrolled 31 healthy adults aged 60–75 in a randomized crossover design. For 16 weeks, participants ate 60 g of unsalted, skin-roasted peanuts daily. Researchers used arterial spin labeling MRI to track regional cerebral blood flow after intranasal insulin, and abdominal MRI to measure intrahepatic lipids.

Earlier 2025 results from the same project linked the peanut regimen to a 3.6% rise in global cerebral blood flow and a 5.8% improvement in verbal memory. The new Food & Function report localized improved insulin responsiveness to a right-hemisphere cluster containing memory-related structures, including the hippocampus and posterior cingulate gyrus. Insulin supports nerve-cell survival and communication, and lower brain sensitivity has been linked to age-related cognitive decline.