scholarly journals Changes in Iron Status Are Related to Changes in Brain Activity and Behavior in Rwandan Female University Students: Results from a Randomized Controlled Efficacy Trial Involving Iron-Biofortified Beans

2019 ◽  
Vol 149 (4) ◽  
pp. 687-697 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael J Wenger ◽  
Stephanie E Rhoten ◽  
Laura E Murray-Kolb ◽  
Samuel P Scott ◽  
Erick Boy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Spectral Power ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Iron Status ◽  
Brain Dynamics ◽  
Clinical Trial Registry ◽  
Double Blind ◽  
Body Iron ◽  
And Behavior

ABSTRACT Background Evidence suggests that iron deficiency (ID) affects cognitive performance, as measured in behavior. Although such effects must be mediated by changes in the brain, very few studies have included measures of brain activity to assess this relation. Objective We tested the hypothesis that provision of iron-biofortified beans would result in improvements in measures of iron status, brain dynamics, and behavior. Methods A double-blind, randomized, intervention study was conducted in 55 women aged 18–27 y with low iron status (serum ferritin <20 µg/L). Women were randomly assigned to consume iron-biofortified (86.1 ppm iron) or comparison beans (50.1 ppm iron) daily for 18 wk. Iron status was assessed by hemoglobin, ferritin, transferrin receptor, and body iron; cognitive performance with 5 computerized tasks; and brain dynamics by concurrent electroencephalography (EEG). All measures were taken at baseline and endline. Results The groups did not differ on any measures at baseline. Intention-to-treat analyses revealed significant (all P < 0.05) improvements in hemoglobin (partial effect size attributable to the independent variable, η2 = 0.16), ferritin (η2 = 0.17), and body iron (η2 = 0.10), speed of responding in attentional and mnemonic tasks (η2 = 0.04-0.29), sensitivity and efficiency of memory retrieval (η2 = 0.12-0.55), and measures of EEG amplitude and spectral power (η2 = 0.08 to 0.49). Mediation models provided evidence in support of the hypothesis that changes in iron status produce changes in behavior by way of changes in brain activity. Conclusions Behavioral performance and brain activity, as measured by EEG, are sensitive to iron status, and the consumption of iron-biofortified beans for 18 wk resulted in improvements in measures of both, relative to what was obtained with a comparison bean, in a sample of female university students. Furthermore, the results support the conclusion that changes in brain activity resulting from consumption of biofortified beans mediate the relations between changes in iron biomarkers and changes in cognition. Clinical trial registry: ClinicalTrials.gov Reg No. NCT01594359.

scholarly journals Brain dynamics and attentional control as a function of body iron status (619.4)

2014 ◽  
Vol 28 (S1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie Rhoten ◽  
Michael Wenger ◽  
Laura Murray‐Kolb ◽  
Jean‐Bosco Gahutu ◽  
Mercy Lung’aho ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Attentional Control ◽  
Iron Status ◽  
Brain Dynamics ◽  
Body Iron

Different Frequency Bands of Electromagnetic Wave on Age-Related Developmental Changes

2013 ◽  
Vol 479-480 ◽  
pp. 480-485
Author(s):  
Ming Chung Ho ◽  
Chin Fei Huang ◽  
Chia Yi Chou ◽  
Ming Chi Lu ◽  
Chen Hsieh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spectral Power ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Phase Locking ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Event Related Potentials ◽  
Brain Dynamics ◽  
Alpha Power ◽  
Time Frequency ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Related Potentials

Brain dynamics is an important issue in understanding child development. However, very little research of the event-related responses has been used to explore changes during childhood. The aim of this study was to investigate mature changes in spatiotemporal organization of brain dynamics. We hypothesized that oscillatory event-related brain activity were affected by age-related changes. The sample include three age groups, namely 7 years (N = 18), 11 years (N = 18), and adults (N = 18). The event-related spectral power (ERPSP), and inter-trial phase locking (ITPL) of the event-related potentials (ERPs) were obtained from the time-frequency analysis of the auditory oddball task. Results revealed that: (a) decreased theta power, but alpha power increased with age; (b) the values of ITPL in the theta and alpha bands increased with age. These suggest that ERPSP, and ITPL provide useful indicators of cognitive maturation processes in children aged 7 and 11 years.

scholarly journals Modafinil modulates anterior cingulate function in chronic schizophrenia

2005 ◽  
Vol 187 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sean A. Spence ◽  
Russell D. Green ◽  
Iain D. Wilkinson ◽  
Mike D. Hunter
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Anterior Cingulate Cortex ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Cognitive Deficits ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Memory Task ◽  
Cingulate Cortex ◽  
Chronic Schizophrenia ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Double Blind

BackgroundSchizophrenia is associated with widespread cognitive deficits that have an impact on social function. Modafinil promotes wakefulness and is reported to enhance cognition.AimsTo study the acute effects of modafinil administration upon brain activity and cognitive performance in people with chronic schizophrenia.MethodIn a randomised double-blind placebo-controlled crossover design, 19 patients received either modafinil (100 mg) or placebo prior to undertaking a working memory task with functional magnetic resonance imaging.ResultsSeventeen patients completed the study and another underwent acute relapse 4 days post-drug. Modafinil administration was associated with significantly greater activation in the anterior cingulate cortex during the working memory task. The anterior cingulate cortex signal correlated with cognitive performance, although only a subset of patients exhibited ‘enhancement’.ConclusionsModafinil modulates anterior cingulate cortex function in chronic schizophrenia but its beneficial cognitive effects may be restricted to a subset of patients requiring further characterisation.

scholarly journals Brain dynamics as a function of iron status: Relating electroencephalographic (EEG) patterns and body iron measures in Indian adolescents

2013 ◽  
Vol 27 (S1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael J Wenger ◽  
Samuel P Scott ◽  
Laura E Murray‐Kolb ◽  
Padmini Ghugre ◽  
Shobha Udipi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Iron Status ◽  
Brain Dynamics ◽  
Body Iron ◽  
Indian Adolescents

scholarly journals Microevidence for microdosing with psilocybin mushrooms: a double-blind placebo-controlled study of subjective effects, behavior, creativity, perception, cognition, and brain activity

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Federico Cavanna ◽  
Stephanie Muller ◽  
Laura Alethia de la Fuente ◽  
Federico Zamberlan ◽  
Matías Palmucci ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Subjective Experience ◽  
Spectral Power ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Subjective Effects ◽  
Controlled Study ◽  
Acute Effects ◽  
Theta Band ◽  
Double Blind ◽  
Double Blind Placebo ◽  
Active Dose

AbstractThe use of low sub-hallucinogenic doses of psychedelics (“microdosing”) has gained popularity in recent years. Although anecdotal reports claim multiple benefits associated with this practice, the lack of placebo-controlled studies limits our knowledge of microdosing and its effects. Moreover, research conducted in laboratory settings might fail to capture the motivation of individuals engaged in microdosing protocols. We recruited 34 individuals planning to microdose with psilocybin mushrooms (Psilocybe cubensis), one of the materials most frequently used for this purpose. Following a double-blind placebo-controlled design, we investigated the effects of 0.5 g dried mushrooms on subjective experience, behavior, creativity, perception, cognition, and brain activity. The reported acute effects were significantly more intense for the active dose compared to the placebo, which could be explained by unblinding. For the other measurements, we observed either null effects or a trend towards cognitive impairment and, in the case of EEG, towards reduced theta band spectral power. Our findings support the possibility that expectation effects underlie at least some of the anecdotal benefits attributed to microdosing with psilocybin mushrooms.

Effects of caffeine and maltodextrin mouth rinsing on P300, brain imaging, and cognitive performance

2015 ◽  
Vol 118 (6) ◽  
pp. 776-782 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. De Pauw ◽  
B. Roelands ◽  
K. Knaepen ◽  
M. Polfliet ◽  
J. Stiens ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reaction Time ◽  
Beneficial Effect ◽  
Brain Imaging ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Reaction Times ◽  
Double Blind ◽  
Dorsolateral Prefrontal ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Stroop Tasks

Caffeine (CAF) and maltodextrin (MALT) mouth rinses (MR) improve exercise performance. The current experiment aims to determine the effect of CAF and MALT MR on cognitive performance and brain activity. Ten healthy male subjects (age 27 ± 3 yr) completed three experimental trials. Each trial included four Stroop tasks: two familiarization tasks, and one task before and one task after an MR period. The reaction time (in milliseconds) and accuracy (percent) of simple, congruent, and incongruent stimuli were assessed. Electroencephalography was applied throughout the experiment to record brain activity. The amplitudes and latencies of the P300 were determined during the Stroop tasks before and after the MR period. Subjects received MR with CAF (0.3 g/25 ml), MALT (1.6 g/25 ml), or placebo (PLAC) in a randomized, double-blind, crossover design. During MR, the brain imaging technique standardized low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography was applied. Magnitude-based inferences showed that CAF MR is likely trivial (63.5%) and likely beneficial (36.4%) compared with PLAC MR, and compared with MALT MR likely beneficial to reaction time on incongruent stimuli (61.6%). Additionally, both the orbitofrontal and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex were activated only during CAF MR, potentially explaining the likely beneficial effect on reaction times. MALT MR increased brain activity only within the orbitofrontal cortex. However, this brain activation did not alter the reaction time. Furthermore, no significant differences in the accuracy of stimuli responses were observed between conditions. In conclusion, only CAF MR exerted a likely beneficial effect on reaction time due to the subsequent activation of both the orbitofrontal and dorsolateral prefrontal cortexes.

scholarly journals Effects of Red and White Ginseng Preparations on Electrical Activity of the Brain in Elderly Subjects: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Three-Armed Cross-Over Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 182
Author(s):  
Wilfried Dimpfel ◽  
Pierre-Antoine Mariage ◽  
Alexander G. Panossian
Keyword(s):  
Electrical Activity ◽  
Spectral Power ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Elderly Subjects ◽  
Strong Impact ◽  
Double Blind ◽  
Double Blind Placebo ◽  
White Ginseng ◽  
The Brain

Background: Recently, the superior efficacy of hydroponically cultivated red ginseng preparation HRG80® compared to wild growing white ginseng (WG) in preventing stress-induced symptoms related to the daily work situation of healthy subjects was reported. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of HRG80®, WG, and placebo on the electrical activity in the brain of elderly human subjects during relaxation and mental challenges. Methods: Changes in the electroencephalogram (EEG) frequency ranges of 17 different brain regions were measured after single and repeated administration of HRG80®, WG, and placebo across a four-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled three-armed cross-over trial. Results: Both red and white ginseng preparations had a strong impact on brain activity, with different effects on various brain regions depending on the mental load during relaxation and cognitive tasks associated with memory, attention, and mental performance. Both ginseng preparations exhibited significant effects on spectral powers compared to placebo, reflecting an activating action. The spectral changes in the quantitative EEG induced by HRG80® indicated an improvement in mood as well as calming effects, evidenced by the modulation of β2 waves, representing changes in GABA-ergic neurotransmission. HRG80® attenuated δ/θ powers during relaxation, suggesting the potential improvement of pathologically enhanced spectral power in aging. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that both hydroponically cultivated red and wild growing white ginseng have similar beneficial effects on the cognitive functions of elderly subjects, as reflected by electric brain activity, but their modes of action on the brain are different.

Caffeine and Placebo Expectation

2007 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 91-99 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yunfeng Sun ◽  
Yinling Zhang ◽  
Ning He ◽  
Xufeng Liu ◽  
Danmin Miao
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Heart Rate ◽  
Sleep Deprivation ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Cognitive Functions ◽  
Cardiovascular Regulation ◽  
Double Blind ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Pressure Tests ◽  
Healthy Males

Abstract. Caffeine placebo expectation seems to improve vigilance and cognitive performance. This study investigated the effect of caffeine and placebo expectation on vigilance and cognitive performance during 28 h sleep deprivation. Ten healthy males volunteered to take part in the double-blind, cross-over study, which required participants to complete five treatment periods of 28 h separated by 1-week wash-out intervals. The treatments were no substance (Control); caffeine 200 mg at 00:00 (C200); placebo 200 mg at 00:00 (P200); twice caffeine 200 mg at 00:00 and 04:00 (C200-C200); caffeine 200 mg at 00:00 and placebo 200 mg at 04:00 (C200-P200). Participants were told that all capsules were caffeine and given information about the effects of caffeine to increase expectation. Vigilance was assessed by a three-letter cancellation test, cognitive functions by the continuous addition test and Stroop test, and cardiovascular regulation by heart rate and blood pressure. Tests were performed bihourly from 00:00 to 10:00 of the second day. Results indicated that C200-P200 and C200-C200 were more alert (p < .05) than Control and P200. Their cognitive functions were higher (p < .05) than Control and P200. Also, C200-P200 scored higher than C200 in the letter cancellation task (p < .05). No test showed any significant differences between C200-P200 and C200-C200. The results demonstrated that the combination of caffeine 200 mg and placebo 200 mg expectation exerted prolonged positive effects on vigilance and cognitive performance.

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