Dr Adrian Whyte graduated with a first class BA (hons) Psychology degree from the University of Winchester in 2009. At the University of Reading, he completed his MSc in Psychological Research with distinction in 2010 and PhD titled ‘The cognitive effects of acute blueberry anthocyanin intervention in 7 - 10 year old children’ in 2015.

Between 2014 and 2020 he worked as a teaching fellow in the Psychology Department of the University of Reading convening modules on subjects such as Applied Psychology, Developmental Psychology, and Nutritional Psychology. Also during this period he worked as a post-doctoral researcher considering cognitive and physiological outcomes following acute and chronic nutritional interventions. He was appointed as Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Winchester in February 2020.

Adrian’s main research focus is in investigating the effects of different dietary interventions on cognitive behaviour across the lifespan. He has primarily considered the effects acute and chronic interventions on aspects of memory, executive function, and mood. His most recent research has taken a multi-disciplinary approach to investigate the physiological mechanisms underlying the cognitive benefits found following flavonoid rich interventions. This research has employed EEG neuroimaging techniques, blood pressure measurement, and analysis of blood samples for such things as markers of inflammation and signalling proteins.

Jones R, Leunissen JM, Whyte A, Werson A, Bhattacharya J. (2025) Obsessive-compulsive symptoms predict increased fronto-parahippocampal synchronisation during thought suppression. Cogn Affect Behav Neurosci. doi: 10.3758/s13415-025-01316-x.

Bell, L.,   Dodd, G. F., Jeavons, M.   Fisher,  D. R.,  Whyte, A.R., Shukitt-Hale, B. and Williams,  C. M. (2025) The impact of a walnut-rich breakfast on cognitive performance and brain activity throughout the day in healthy young adults: a crossover intervention trial. Food and Function 5. Read it online.

Bell, L., Whyte, A. R., Lamport, D. J., Spencer, J., Butler, L. T. & Williams, C. M., 2020. Grape seed polyphenol extract and cognitive function in healthy young adults: a randomised, placebo-controlled, parallel-groups acute-on-chronic trial. Nutritional Neuroscience.

Whyte, A. R., Cheng, N., Butler, L. T., Lamport, D. J. & Williams, C. M., 2019. Flavonoid-Rich Mixed Berries Maintain and Improve Cognitive Function Over a 6 h Period in Young Healthy Adults. Nutrients. 11, 11.

Whyte, A. R., Rahman, S., Bell, L., Edirisinghe, I., Krikorian, R., Williams, C. M. & Burton-Freeman, B., 2020. Improved metabolic function and cognitive performance in middle‑aged adults following a single dose of wild blueberry European Journal of Nutrition.

Whyte, A. R., Lamport, D. J., Schafer, G. & Williams, C. M., 2020. The cognitive effects of an acute wild blueberry intervention on 7 – 10 year olds using extended memory and executive function task batteries. Food and Function. 11, 5, 4793-4801.

Whyte, A. R., Cheng, N., Fromentin, E. & Williams, C. M., 2018. A Randomized, Double-Blinded, Placebo-Controlled Study to Compare the Safety and Efficacy of Low Dose Enhanced Wild Blueberry Powder and Wild Blueberry Extract (ThinkBlue™) in Maintenance of Episodic and Working Memory in Older Adults. Nutrients. 10, 6.

Whyte, A. R., Schafer, G. & Williams, C. M., 2017. The effect of cognitive demand on performance of an executive function task following wild blueberry supplementation in 7 to 10 years old children. Food and Function. 8, 11, 4129-38.

Whyte, A. R., Schafer, G. & Williams, C. M., 2016. Cognitive effects following acute wild blueberry supplementation in 7- to 10-year-old children. European Journal of Nutrition. 55, 6, p. 2151-62.

Whyte, A. R. & Williams, C. M., 2015. Effects of a single dose of a flavonoid-rich blueberry drink on memory in 8 to 10 y old children. Nutrition. 31, 3, 531-34.