1.
Effects of acute caffeine consumption following sleep loss on cognitive, physical, occupational and driving performance: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Irwin, C, Khalesi, S, Desbrow, B, McCartney, D
Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews. 2020;:877-888
Abstract
Caffeine is widely used to counteract the effects of sleep loss. This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the impact of acute caffeine consumption on cognitive, physical, occupational and driving performance in sleep deprived/restricted individuals. 45 publications providing 327 effect estimates (EEs) were included in the review. Caffeine improved response time (44 EEs; g = 0.86; 95 % CI: 0.53-0.83) and accuracy (27 EEs; g = 0.68; 95 % CI: 0.48-0.88) on attention tests, improved executive function (38 EEs; g = 0.35; 95 % CI: 0.15-0.55), improved reaction time (12 EEs; g = 1.11; 95 % CI: 0.75-1.47), improved response time (20 EEs; g = 1.95; 95 % CI: 1.39-2.52) and accuracy (34 EEs; g = 0.43; 95 % CI: 0.30-0.55) on information processing tasks, and enhanced lateral (29 EEs; g = 1.67; 95 % CI: 1.32-2.02) and longitudinal (12 EEs; g = 1.60; 95 % CI: 1.16-2.03) measures of vehicular control on driving tests. Studies also typically indicated benefit of caffeine on memory (25 EEs), crystallized intelligence (11 EEs), physical (39 EEs) and occupational (36 EEs) performance. Ingestion of caffeine is an effective counter-measure to the cognitive and physical impairments associated with sleep loss.
2.
Omega-3 and its domain-specific effects on cognitive test performance in youths: A meta-analysis.
Emery, S, Häberling, I, Berger, G, Walitza, S, Schmeck, K, Albert, T, Baumgartner, N, Strumberger, M, Albermann, M, Drechsler, R
Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews. 2020;:420-436
Abstract
Omega-3 fatty acids are vital for brain development. The aim of this meta-analysis was to broaden current knowledge of the effects of omega-3 supplementation on cognitive test performance in youths. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) meeting selection criteria were identified through two independent literature searches on PubMed, Cochrane Library, PsycARTICLES and PsycINFO (last search June 2019). Twenty-nine out of 1126 studies assessing 4247 participants met all selection criteria. A meta-analysis using random-effects model was performed for eight different cognitive domains. This first analysis revealed no main effect of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation on domain-specific cognitive test performance in youths. Subgroup analyses identified beneficial effects of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)-rich but not docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)-rich formulations in the domains of long-term memory, working memory and problem solving and a tendency towards beneficial effects in clinical rather than non-clinical populations. Future research should investigate differential effects of EPA and DHA and consider their baseline levels, other nutritional components and interactions with gene variations as potential predictors of response.
3.
Iron therapy for improving psychomotor development and cognitive function in children under the age of three with iron deficiency anaemia.
Wang, B, Zhan, S, Gong, T, Lee, L
The Cochrane database of systematic reviews. 2013;(6):CD001444
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Iron deficiency and iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) are common in young children. It has been suggested that the lack of iron may have deleterious effects on children's psychomotor development and cognitive function. To evaluate the benefits of iron therapy on psychomotor development and cognitive function in children with IDA, a Cochrane review was carried out in 2001. This is an update of that review. OBJECTIVES To determine the effects of iron therapy on psychomotor development and cognitive function in iron deficient anaemic children less than three years of age. SEARCH METHODS We searched the following databases in April 2013: Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, LILACS, ClinicalTrials.gov and World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP). We also searched the reference lists of review articles and reports, and ran citation searches in the Science Citation Index for relevant studies identified by the primary search. We also contacted key authors. SELECTION CRITERIA Studies were included if children less than three years of age with evidence of IDA were randomly allocated to iron or iron plus vitamin C versus a placebo or vitamin C alone, and assessment of developmental status or cognitive function was carried out using standardised tests by observers blind to treatment allocation. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Two review authors independently screened titles and abstracts retrieved from the searches and assessed full-text copies of all potentially relevant studies against the inclusion criteria. The same review authors independently extracted data and assessed the risk of bias of the eligible studies. Data were analysed separately depending on whether assessments were performed within one month of beginning iron therapy or after one month. MAIN RESULTS We identified one eligible study in the update search that had not been included in the original review. In total, we included eight trials.Six trials, including 225 children with IDA, examined the effects of iron therapy on measures of psychomotor development and cognitive function within 30 days of commencement of therapy. We could pool data from five trials. The pooled difference in pre- to post-treatment change in Bayley Scale Psychomotor Development Index (PDI) between iron and placebo groups was -1.25 (95% confidence interval (CI) -4.56 to 2.06, P value = 0.65; I(2) = 33% for heterogeneity, random-effects meta-analysis; low quality evidence) and in Bayley Scale Mental Development Index (MDI) was 1.04 (95% CI -1.30 to 3.39, P value = 0.79; I(2) = 31% for heterogeneity, random-effects meta-analysis; low quality evidence).Two studies, including 160 randomised children with IDA, examined the effects of iron therapy on measures of psychomotor development and cognitive function more than 30 days after commencement of therapy. One of the studies reported the mean number of skills gained after two months of iron therapy using the Denver Developmental Screening Test. The intervention group gained 0.8 (95% CI -0.18 to 1.78, P value = 0.11, moderate quality of evidence) more skills on average than the control group. The other study reported that the difference in pre- to post-treatment change in Bayley Scale PDI between iron-treated and placebo groups after four months was 18.40 (95% CI 10.16 to 26.64, P value < 0.0001; moderate quality evidence) and in Bayley Scale MDI was 18.80 (95% CI 10.17 to 27.43, P value < 0.0001; moderate quality evidence). AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS There is no convincing evidence that iron treatment of young children with IDA has an effect on psychomotor development or cognitive function within 30 days after commencement of therapy. The effect of longer-term treatment remains unclear. There is an urgent need for further large randomised controlled trials with long-term follow-up.