Food-Derived Bioactive Peptides Prevent Neurodegenerative Disease by Regulating Renin Angiotensin System (RAS) Related Neurotransmitters and Pathways

Neurodegenerative disease (ND) is a growing global health challenge with limited therapeutic options. Emerging research suggests food-derived bioactive peptides may exhibit neuroprotective activities by regulating the antioxidation, anti-neuroinflammation signaling pathways and the neurotransmitters release in the brain. The regulation is associated with the key components in the renin angiotensin system (RAS). In this paper, we review studies published up to 2025, focusing on the regulation of RAS components and RAS related neurotransmitters by food-derived bioactive peptides. This review describes the crucial role of RAS in the pathophysiology of ND, and discusses how food-derived peptides modulate RAS-mediated neurotransmission and its downstream signaling cascades. Specifically, the structure of peptides affects their penetrability to the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which in turn influences their neuroprotective efficacy. The evidence from animal models indicates that these peptides can affect RAS-related downstream pathways to potentially mitigate the loss of serotonergic and dopaminergic neurons, which are vital for cognition and memory. The findings suggest that food-derived bioactive peptides may hold potential for ameliorating ND symptoms via the regulation of RAS.