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The attention-enhancing effects of spearmint extract supplementation in healthy men and women: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel trial.
Falcone, PH, Nieman, KM, Tribby, AC, Vogel, RM, Joy, JM, Moon, JR, Slayton, CA, Henigman, MM, Lasrado, JA, Lewis, BJ, et al
Nutrition research (New York, N.Y.). 2019;:24-38
Abstract
Previous studies have demonstrated that chronic supplementation with a proprietary spearmint extract (PSE) can improve cognitive performance in individuals 50-70 years of age with age-related memory issues. In the present study, our hypothesis was that chronic supplementation of PSE would improve cognitive performance in young, active individuals. Using a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel design, healthy, recreationally active men and women (N = 142) received 900 mg of PSE or placebo (PLA) daily for 90 days. Cognition was assessed via cognitive test battery (CNS Vital Signs) that resulted in 10 cognitive domains. Sleep, mood, and quality of life were assessed via validated questionnaires. Measurements were evaluated on days 0, 7, 30, and 90 of supplementation. Significant (P < .05) treatment effects were observed for sustained attention, wherein PSE improved sustained attention vs PLA at day 30 (PSE: 33.3 ± 0.54 vs PLA: 31.2 ± 0.98; P = .001) and day 90 (PSE: 34.0 ± 0.44 vs PLA: 32.7 ± 0.75; P = .007). Significant (P < .05) treatment × visit interactions were observed for complex attention, wherein PSE improved complex attention compared to PLA at day 7 (PSE: 8.0 ± 2.22 vs PLA: 7.6 ± 0.57; P = .016). Significant (P < .05) improvements were observed in 2 individual tests: the shifting attention test and the 4-part continuous performance test. No significant differences were observed in mood, sleep, or quality of life. The current study demonstrates that chronic supplementation with 900 mg of PSE improves cognitive performance in a young, active population, further supporting PSE as an efficacious nootropic.
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2.
Attentional and working memory performance following alcohol and energy drink: A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, factorial design laboratory study.
Benson, S, Tiplady, B, Scholey, A
PloS one. 2019;(1):e0209239
Abstract
Alcohol mixed with energy drinks (AMED) studies have typically not shown antagonism of acute alcohol effects by energy drink (ED), particularly over relatively short time frames. This study investigated the effects of alcohol, ED, and AMED on attentional and working memory processes over a 3 h period. Twenty-four young adults took part in a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, factorial, 4-arm study. They were administered 0.6g/kg alcohol and 250 ml ED (containing 80 mg caffeine), and matching placebos alone and in combination. A battery of attentional and working memory measures was completed at baseline then 45, 90 and 180 min post-treatment. Alcohol produced a characteristic shift in speed/accuracy trade-off, having little effect on reaction times while increasing errors on all attentional measures (4-choice Reaction Time, Number Pairs and Visual Search), as well as a composite Attentional error score and one working memory task (Serial Sevens). ED alone improved two working memory measures (Memory Scanning accuracy and Digit-Symbol reaction times) and improved speed of responding on a composite Working Memory score. There was no consistent pattern of AMED vs. alcohol effects; AMED produced more errors than alcohol alone on one attentional measure (Visual Search errors) at 45 min only whereas AMED resulted in fewer errors on the Serial Sevens task at 90 min and better Digit-Symbol accuracy and reaction time at 45 min. Alcohol consumption increases error rate across several attentional and working memory processes. Mutual antagonism between alcohol and ED showed no consistent pattern and likely reflects a complex interaction between caffeine and alcohol levels, phase of the blood alcohol limb, task domain and cognitive load.
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The Kansas University DHA Outcomes Study (KUDOS) clinical trial: long-term behavioral follow-up of the effects of prenatal DHA supplementation.
Colombo, J, Shaddy, DJ, Gustafson, K, Gajewski, BJ, Thodosoff, JM, Kerling, E, Carlson, SE
The American journal of clinical nutrition. 2019;(5):1380-1392
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is a long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid that has been linked to improved vision and cognition in postnatal feeding studies and has been consistently associated with reduction of early preterm birth in prenatal supplementation trials. This is a report of the first long-term follow-up of infants from mothers receiving prenatal DHA supplementation in a US cohort. OBJECTIVE Our objective was to evaluate the efficacy of the prenatal supplementation on both global and granular longitudinal assessments of cognitive and behavioral development. METHODS In a randomized double-blind clinical trial, mothers received either 600 mg/d of DHA or a placebo beginning at 14.5 weeks of gestation and capsules were provided until delivery. Children from those pregnancies were followed by cognitive and behavioral assessments administered from 10 mo through 6 y of age. From 301 mothers in the initial study, ∼200 infants completed the longitudinal schedule. RESULTS Although this intervention had been shown to reduce high-risk pregnancies and improve visual attention in infants during the first year, only a few positive long-term effects of prenatal DHA supplementation emerged from analyses of this follow-up. Increases in maternal blood DHA during pregnancy were related to verbal and full scale intelligence quotient (IQ) scores at 5 and 6 y, but these effects disappeared after controlling for SES. Maternal blood DHA concentrations at delivery were unrelated to outcomes, although maternal DHA at enrollment was related to productive vocabulary at 18 mo. CONCLUSIONS Although prenatal DHA supplementation substantially reduced early preterm birth and improved visual attention in infancy in this sample, no consistent long-term benefits were observed into childhood. Increases in maternal blood DHA concentration in pregnancy were related to higher IQs but this effect was confounded with SES and disappeared when SES was statistically controlled. This trial was registered at http://www.clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00266825 and NCT02487771.
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Computer interactions during walking workstation use moderately affects spatial-temporal gait characteristics.
Eggleston, JD, Chavez, EA, Harry, JR, Dufek, JS
Gait & posture. 2019;:200-204
Abstract
BACKGROUND Due to increased sedentary workstyles, active workstations have shown the ability to increase activity while only moderately affecting work ability. However, previous examinations have not examine fine motor mousing tasks on tripping descriptors. RESEARCH QUESTION What affect do mousing tasks of varying target size have on tripping descriptors during walking workstation use? METHODS Three-dimensional kinematic data were collected while participants used a walking workstation completing one baseline and three mousing conditions of varying target sizes. RESULTS Target size main effects (p < 0.001) detected decreased stride length in all experimental conditions, which were supported by moderate effect sizes, and decreased stance width and time in double limb support (p < 0.001 for both comparisons). Stance width differences resulted in large effect sizes between baseline and all conditions, while only moderate effect sizes were observed between time in double limb support in baseline compared to all conditions. No changes in knee flexion range of motion were observed in response to target size (p = 0.278). SIGNIFICANCE These results indicate that walking workstation users shorten their stride length and decrease their base of support while completing mousing tasks. The placement of the upper extremities on the workstation desk likely acted as the primary mechanism to increase stability. It is concluded that performing mousing tasks of varying target size using a walking workstation does not pose greater risk for adverse gait events.
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Olive Oil Intake Associated with Increased Attention Scores in Women Living with HIV: Findings from the Chicago Women's Interagency HIV Study.
Warrior, L, Weber, KM, Daubert, E, Morris, MC, Agarwal, P, Koralnik, IJ, French, AL
Nutrients. 2019;(8)
Abstract
Women aging with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are particularly vulnerable to cognitive decline. Recent studies have highlighted the potential protective effects of olive oil on cognition in persons living without HIV. We sought to evaluate the association between olive oil consumption and domain-specific cognitive performance (dCog) t-scores (adjusted for age, race, education, reading level, practice effects) in women living with HIV (WLWH) and sociodemographically similar women living without HIV. A total of 166 women (113 WLWH and 53 women living without HIV) participating in the Cook County Women's Interagency HIV Study (WIHS) completed cognitive testing and a Block 2014 Food Frequency Questionnaire within 18 months. Use of olive oil was associated with a 4.2 point higher attention/concentration (p = 0.02), 4.0 point higher for verbal learning (p = 0.02), and 1.91 point higher for verbal memory (p = 0.05). Associations between using olive oil and attention/concentration cognitive domain were seen in WLWH but not in women living without HIV. Associations between olive oil and verbal learning and memory were only seen in women without HIV. Our data suggest that using olive oil as a primary cooking oil may contribute to differential effects in attention/concentration, verbal learning, and verbal memory between women living with and without HIV.
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The effect of active hypohydration on cognitive function: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Goodman, SPJ, Moreland, AT, Marino, FE
Physiology & behavior. 2019;:297-308
Abstract
Hypohydration is generally considered to have a negative effect on cognitive function, despite several studies reporting comparable findings between hydration states. Recommendations to avoid moderate dehydration (≥ 2% loss in body mass) are commonly made to athletes, on the provision that this deficit may impair optimal cognitive performance. To determine whether cognitive function is impaired by hypohydration, and investigate the existence of the proposed critical water deficit of ≥2% loss in body mass purported to diminish cognitive performance, we conducted a systematic search of the literature and examined appropriate studies by meta-analysis. Overall, cognitive performance was not found to be impaired by hypohydration (g = -0.177; 95% CI = -0.532-0.179; P = .331). Nor were the underlying cognitive domains (complex attention, executive function, learning and memory) impaired (all P > .236), independent of the incurred fluid loss (less than or >2% loss in body mass), although results were not always homogenous (I2 ranging between 0% and 93%). Collectively, these results suggest that hypohydration may not compromise cognitive function, nor any of the investigated subdomains to a greater extent than if euhydration had been maintained. Furthermore, recommendations to avoid moderate hypohydration on the basis of maintaining optimal cognitive function are not substantiated by this meta-analysis.
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Neurologic issues related to glucocorticoid use in oral surgery: memory and attention impairment in association with cannabis consumption.
Piperea-Șianu, D, Tălășman, S, Ceau, AM, Lorean, A, Piperea-Șianu, A, Levin, L
Quintessence international (Berlin, Germany : 1985). 2019;(2):126-134
Abstract
The use of hormonal anti-inflammatory drugs is a common practice in oral and dental surgery. They have proven enhanced efficacy, increasing therapeutic success when the treatment is properly chosen and managed. However, given the complexity of neurophysiologic processes, little is known regarding the consequences of administering glucocorticoids on brain function. This article aims to bring to the attention of dental health professionals the main neurophysiologic mechanisms by which glucocorticoid hormones can affect memory and attention. In addition, in the context of increasing global prevalence and incidence of cannabinoid consumption, both for medical and recreational purposes, the issue of the association of cortisone-derived drugs in the systemic context of these phytocannabinoids is addressed, in terms of memory issues and attention.
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Attentional engagement with and disengagement from food cues in Anorexia Nervosa.
Jonker, NC, Glashouwer, KA, Hoekzema, A, Ostafin, BD, de Jong, PJ
Behaviour research and therapy. 2019;:15-24
Abstract
This study examined differences in food-related Attentional Bias (AB) between patients with Anorexia Nervosa (AN) and adolescents without an eating disorder. AB was assessed with an Attentional Response to Distal versus Proximal Emotional Information (ARDPEI) task that was specifically designed to differentiate between attentional engagement with and attentional disengagement from food. We tested if patients with AN would show less attentional engagement and less difficulty to disengage their attention from food cues than individuals without an eating disorder. Both might contribute to patients' ability to refrain from eating even in a state of starvation. Participants were adolescents with AN (n = 69) and a comparison group with healthy weight, matched on age and educational level (n = 69). No differences were found in attentional disengagement. However, patients with AN did show less attentional engagement when food cues were shown briefly (100 ms). Given that the adolescents without an eating disorder showed a significant engagement bias to food cues, the results suggest that patients with AN lack the bias involved in healthy eating behavior. Future studies should further examine the direction of the relationship between decreased attentional engagement with food cues and anorexia nervosa.
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The Effect of Citicoline Supplementation on Motor Speed and Attention in Adolescent Males.
McGlade, E, Agoston, AM, DiMuzio, J, Kizaki, M, Nakazaki, E, Kamiya, T, Yurgelun-Todd, D
Journal of attention disorders. 2019;(2):121-134
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study assessed the effects of citicoline, a nutraceutical, on attention, psychomotor function, and impulsivity in healthy adolescent males. METHOD Seventy-five healthy adolescent males were randomly assigned to either the citicoline group ( n = 51 with 250 or 500 mg citicoline) or placebo ( n = 24). Participants completed the Ruff 2&7 Selective Attention Test, Finger Tap Test, and the Computerized Performance Test, Second Edition (CPT-II) at baseline and after 28 days of supplementation. RESULTS Individuals receiving citicoline exhibited improved attention ( p = 0.02) and increased psychomotor speed ( p = 0.03) compared with those receiving placebo. Higher weight-adjusted dose significantly predicted increased accuracy on an attention task ( p = 0.01), improved signal detectability on a computerized attention task ( p = 0.03), and decreased impulsivity ( p = 0.01). DISCUSSION Adolescent males receiving 28 days of Cognizin® citicoline showed improved attention and psychomotor speed and reduced impulsivity compared to adolescent males who received placebo.
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The impact of blackcurrant juice on attention, mood and brain wave spectral activity in young healthy volunteers.
Watson, AW, Okello, EJ, Brooker, HJ, Lester, S, McDougall, GJ, Wesnes, KA
Nutritional neuroscience. 2019;(8):596-606
Abstract
There is a growing body of evidence from randomized controlled trials which indicates that consumption of berries has a positive effect upon the cognitive function of healthy adults. It has been recommended that studies combining cognitive and physiological measures be undertaken in order to strengthen the evidence base for the putative effects of flavonoid consumption on cognitive outcomes. This pilot study utilized a randomized, double-blind and placebo controlled crossover design to assess the influence of the acute administration of anthocyanin-rich blackcurrant juice, standardized at 500 mg of polyphenols, on mood and attention. Additionally, this trial used electroencephalography (EEG) to assess if any changes in cognitive performance are associated with changes in localized prefrontal cortex neuronal activity in nine healthy young adults. Outcomes from the pilot EEG data highlight an anxiolytic effect of the consumption of a single serve blackcurrant juice, as indexed by a suppression of α spectral power, and an increase in the slow wave δ and θ spectral powers. There was also an indication of greater alertness and lower fatigue, as indexed by an increase in β power and suppression of α spectral power. Outcomes from the CogTrack™ system indicated a small acute increase in reaction times during the digit vigilance task.