December 12/Los Angeles/MoneyWatch -- A piece of advice for the millions of U.S. college students busily studying for their final exams -- or anyone else who needs to occasionally use their noggin: Lay off the sugar.
According to research by UCLA biology professor Fernando Gomez-Pinilla, binging on soda, candy and sugary snacks for as little as six weeks may reduce brain function. The study, which was conducted on rats, is the first to show that a diet high in fructose slows the brain, which hampers memory and learning.