A new study from UC Davis Health has found that people with anxiety disorders have measurably lower levels of a common nutrient in their brains — and the finding could open the door to a simple, dietary approach to supporting mental health. The nutrient is choline, something most Americans already aren’t getting enough of, and it turns out the brain may need more of it than we ever realized.
Published: Molecular Psychiatry (September 2025)
Institution: UC Davis Health
Method: Meta-analysis of 25 datasets from 24 published studies using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) — a specialized MRI technique that measures brain chemistry
Participants: 370 people with anxiety disorders + 342 people without anxiety
Disorders studied: Generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder
Contents
What Did the Study Actually Find?
Researchers at UC Davis Health analyzed brain chemistry data from 712 people across 24 studies, comparing those with diagnosed anxiety disorders against those without. Using a non-invasive brain scanning technique called proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy — which can detect specific chemicals inside brain tissue without surgery — they looked at a range of neurochemicals to see if any showed a consistent pattern.
One chemical stood out clearly: choline. People with anxiety disorders had, on average, 8% lower levels of choline-containing compounds in their brains compared to people without anxiety. The difference was most pronounced in the prefrontal cortex — the part of the brain responsible for planning, emotional regulation, decision-making, and keeping fear responses in check.
“This is the first meta-analysis to show a chemical pattern in the brain in anxiety disorders,” said Jason Smucny, co-author and assistant professor in UC Davis’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. “It suggests nutritional approaches, like appropriate choline supplementation, may help restore brain chemistry and improve outcomes for patients.”
— Richard Maddock, Senior Author, UC Davis Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
What Is Choline — And Why Does the Brain Need It?
Choline is an essential nutrient that most people have never heard of, even though it plays a critical role in how the brain and body function. It helps build cell membranes — the protective outer layer of every cell in your body — and supports brain processes tied to memory, mood regulation, and muscle control.
Choline is also directly linked to acetylcholine, one of the brain’s most important chemical messengers, which is involved in learning, attention, and the ability to form and recall memories. Without adequate choline, the brain’s ability to produce and maintain acetylcholine is compromised.
Here’s the catch: while the body can produce small amounts of choline on its own, most of what the brain needs must come from food. And previous research has consistently found that most Americans — including children — do not consume the recommended daily amount. The recommended intake is 550mg per day for adult men and 425mg for adult women, but average U.S. intake falls well short of those targets.
Highest sources: Egg yolks, beef liver, beef, chicken, salmon and other fatty fish
Plant-based sources: Soybeans, cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, Brussels sprouts), kidney beans
Moderate sources: Milk, yogurt, quinoa, potatoes
Note: Richard Maddock specifically highlighted salmon as a particularly good source because certain omega-3 fatty acids in salmon may help choline reach the brain more effectively.
Choline Content in Common Foods (mg per serving)
The recommended daily intake of choline is 550mg for adult men and 425mg for adult women. Here’s how common foods stack up — and why diet alone can make a meaningful difference in whether your brain is getting enough of this critical nutrient.
How Anxiety Might Be Draining Your Brain’s Choline Supply
The researchers don’t just think low choline contributes to anxiety — they also think anxiety itself may be depleting choline. It’s a two-way relationship that could create a reinforcing cycle in the brain.
Here’s the theory: anxiety disorders keep the brain in a prolonged state of high alert. The amygdala — the brain’s alarm system — stays activated, constantly signaling danger. The prefrontal cortex is supposed to evaluate those signals and pump the brakes, but when that region is under chronic stress, it may burn through choline-related compounds faster than the brain can replenish them.
The study also points to the role of norepinephrine — the brain chemical behind the fight-or-flight response. In people with anxiety disorders, this arousal system is often chronically elevated. The researchers suggest that long-term activation of these stress systems may disrupt membrane metabolism, methylation reactions, and other chemical processes that choline is essential for — slowly eroding the brain’s choline levels over time.
Brain Choline Levels: Anxiety Patients vs. Healthy Controls
The 8% reduction in choline-containing compounds found in this study was most consistent in the prefrontal cortex — the brain’s control center for emotional regulation and rational decision-making. The chart below illustrates the relative difference across key brain regions examined in the meta-analysis.
