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After receiving his PhD in Social Psychology from the University of Rochester, Dienstbier joined the Psychology Department of the University of Nebraska, where he has spent his entire professional career. He served as the Head of that Social-Personality program and (for 8 years) as Psychology Department Chair. He was the Series Editor of the annual Nebraska Symposium on Motivation. He is now Professor Emeritus of Psychology.Dienstbier's interests in aging, stress, and emotion led to research and to graduate courses in research methods, emotion, and stress, with emphasis on how programs of regular exercise, mental stimulation, meditation, and even some social activities lead to modifications to both neurochemistry and neural structures. Those physiological modifications slow and even reverse the negative impacts of stress and aging on the brain, resulting in enhanced cognitive capacities and even resilience.That research was supported by a grant from the National Institutes of Mental Health, and it ultimately led to his 2015 book Building resistance to stress and aging: The toughness model (published originally by Palgrave Macmillan, now Springer). Although that book described how much activities such as physical exercise and cognitive stimulation contribute to cognitive capacities and resilience, and how they lead to those benefits, an obviously missing piece was the contribution of nutrition to preserving cognitive capacity and resilience, especially in older people. Recognizing the importance of that missing element of nutrition led to research on how much and how major dietary programs and individual nutrients lead to the modifications to neurochemistry and neural structures that ultimately preserve cognition, defend against dementia, and lead to psychological resilience.
Food for Thought is the perfect double entendre for this fine book. Dienstbier, an eminent scholar who specializes in the aging brain, reviews relevant research to offer us a fresh look on nutrition and brain health. With clear, precise writing and delightful wry humor, Dienstbier makes practical suggestions for having a long smartspan. Ashley Montagu famously wrote that he wanted to die young as late as possible. Food for Thought will help us do just that. Mary Pipher Psychologist and author of 'Women Rowing North' This book considers the scientific evidence on the anti-aging effects of food choices. It will be of very broad interest, not only to those approaching the later stages of life but to everyone wanting to promote and prolong well-being and quality of life. The clear and engaging style of writing makes this book enjoyable to read, while the author's deep and comprehensive understanding of the scientific method and its strengths and gaps means readers can be confident of the work's balance and independence. Dienstbier summarises a huge and scattered scientific literature and also provides guidance for readers to evaluate that literature for themselves as future research reports become available. Overall this book is a masterly review of what we know about nutrition and the aging brain, the foundations of that knowledge, and how we will learn more. Dr. Helen R. Winefield Emeritus Professor, School of Psychology University of Adelaide, South Australia This book provides an aggregate view of innumerable research studies focused on nutrition and how it impacts human cognitive and emotional capabilities. Dr. Dienstbier unpacks these studies, organizes the information, and provides great insight into how human consumption of food and fluids influences our ability to comprehend, think, retain, and navigate our world. In his usual good-humor fashion, he explains complex concepts in ways that are easily understood by the reader and encourages one to keep reading. In fact, reading this excellent book was not unlike staying up late at night with a good cup of coffee (or glass of wine) to get to the end of a captivating novel. As nurses and other health science professionals engage with the aging American consumer, this book will become an excellent resource to which they will return again and again. Charlotte Liggett, Ed.D, MSN, MBA, RN Chair, Department of Nursing Nebraska Wesleyan University Professor Emeritus Richard Dienstbier has done it again. In 2015 I had the pleasure of reading Professor Dienstbiers wonderful book Building Resistance to Stress and Aging. In my opinion, as a physiologist, it remains one of the most accessible and important books when it comes to understanding stress and health. It is a book that anyone interested in physical and mental health should consider compulsory reading. With his new book, Professor Dienstbier has set a new bar for making the important science of nutrition, especially regarding brain health, accessible. I am aware of no other book on the market that covers the relevant subject matter in the way that Professor Dienstbier has managed to do. His extreme dedication to empirical accuracy is bar none. Not only does he manage a level of scientific accuracy that few others can, but Professor Dienstbier also writes with humor and a style that truly captivates. Anyone with an interest in the field of nutrition should consider this book a must-read. Chris MacDonald Physiologist University of Copenhagen, Denmark
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