scholarly journals Effect of Cocoa and Cocoa Products on Cognitive Performance in Young Adults

Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 3691
Author(s):  
María Angeles Martín ◽  
Luis Goya ◽  
Sonia de Pascual-Teresa
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Early Adulthood ◽  
Blood Oxygenation ◽  
Human Cognition ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Randomized Controlled Studies ◽  
Cocoa Products ◽  
Cocoa Flavanols

Increasing evidence support a beneficial role of cocoa and cocoa products on human cognition, particularly in aging populations and patients at risk. However, thorough reviews on the efficacy of cocoa on brain processes in young adults do not exist precisely due to the limited number of studies in the matter. Thus, the aim of this study was to summarize the findings on the acute and chronic effects of cocoa administration on cognitive functions and brain health in young adults. Web of Science and PubMed databases were used to search for relevant trials. Human randomized controlled studies were selected according to PRISMA guidelines. Eleven intervention studies that involved a total of 366 participants investigating the role of cocoa on cognitive performance in children and young adults (average age ≤25 years old) were finally selected. Findings from individual studies confirm that acute and chronic cocoa intake have a positive effect on several cognitive outcomes. After acute consumption, these beneficial effects seem to be accompanied with an increase in cerebral blood flow or cerebral blood oxygenation. After chronic intake of cocoa flavanols in young adults, a better cognitive performance was found together with increased levels of neurotrophins. This systematic review further supports the beneficial effect of cocoa flavanols on cognitive function and neuroplasticity and indicates that such benefits are possible in early adulthood.

P2-593: DIETARY PATTERNS DURING EARLY ADULTHOOD AND COGNITIVE PERFORMANCE IN MIDLIFE: THE CORONARY ARTERY RISK DEVELOPMENT IN YOUNG ADULTS (CARDIA) STUDY

2006 ◽  
Vol 14 (7S_Part_17) ◽  
pp. P965-P965
Author(s):  
Claire T. McEvoy ◽  
Tina D. Hoang ◽  
Stephen Sidney ◽  
Lyn M. Steffen ◽  
David R. Jacobs ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Coronary Artery ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Dietary Patterns ◽  
Early Adulthood

Diet and Brain Health: Which Role for Polyphenols?

2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 227-238 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vanessa Castelli ◽  
Davide Grassi ◽  
Raffaella Bocale ◽  
Michele d'Angelo ◽  
Andrea Antonosante ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Brain Aging ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Brain Health ◽  
Lifestyle Modifications ◽  
Dietary Polyphenols ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
The Relationship

Background: The aging of western societies is leading to a dramatic increase in the prevalence of chronic conditions, threatening the health status and then the sustainability of our healthcare systems. In particular, dementia is being increasingly recognized as a public health priority, given its enormous socioeconomic burdens further amplified by the absence of treatments really effective in improving the clinical course of the disease. Methods: The question of whether some degree of cognitive deterioration is an inevitable part of aging or should be considered as a pathological pre-stage of dementia is currently debated. This is a field in need of research because accelerated brain aging as well as further decline in cognition might be preventable in the early stages of cognitive impairment. Herein, we discuss evidence from clinical and experimental studies on the role of polyphenols in preserving cognitive performance across life. Results: In recent years, the possibility of favorably influencing the cognitive trajectory through promotion of lifestyle modifications has been increasingly investigated. In particular, the relationship between nutritional habits and brain health has attracted special attention. Dietary polyphenols exhibit a strong potential to promote brain due to their efficacy in protecting neurons against oxidative stress-induced injury, suppressing neuroinflammation and in ameliorating cardiovascular risk factor control and cardiovascular function thus counteracting neurotoxicity and neurodegeneration. Conclusion: Emerging evidence suggest that dietary polyphenols, in particular flavonoids, may exert beneficial effects on the central nervous system thus representing a potential tool to preserve cognitive performance throught senescence.

scholarly journals Assessment of the Effects of a Sage (Salvia officinalis) Extract on Cognitive Performance in Adolescents and Young Adults

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kieron D Edwards ◽  
Anne Dubberke ◽  
Nadin Meyer ◽  
Simone Kugel ◽  
Juliane Hellhammer
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Declarative Memory ◽  
Memory Performance ◽  
Ethanol Extract ◽  
Word Recall ◽  
Controlled Study ◽  
Double Blind ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Treatment Benefits

Background: Cognitive health is a major concern for many people, and with potential benefits to academic and professional life, maximising cognitive performance is of interest far beyond the older demographics. Several natural products have been suggested as nootropics, including the herb sage. Previous assessments of various Salvia species have reported a range of effects on cognitive performance and mood in both older adult and younger adult populations. This study was conducted with SibeliusTM: Sage, an aqueous-ethanol extract of S. officinalis, to assess for the beneficial effects on cognitive performance in adolescents (12-14 year olds) and young adults (18-25 year olds). Methods and Findings: An acute, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted with two single doses of SibeliusTM: Sage (150 mg and 300 mg). Cognitive performance was evaluated using CogTrackTM, which probes aspects of cognitive performance covering attention, working memory and episodic/declarative memory through a series of computer-based tasks. Consistent with previous study of SibeliusTM: Sage a significant effect was seen on the Immediate Word Recall task in young adults; suggesting acute treatment benefits to verbal episodic/declarative memory performance. Physiological effects of the treatment on salivary cortisol and oxytocin levels, as well as blood pressure and heart rate were also assessed, with limited evidence of an effect on these factors. No adverse events or side-effects linked to the study product intake was observed. The study was registered at the German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS-ID: DRKS00015716). Conclusions: A significant improvement due to the Sage extract was shown for a task assessing short-term episodic memory (Immediate Word Recall), supporting beneficial effects on cognitive performance in young adults that are consistent with previous reports in healthy older adults. These findings suggest that further investigation of the effects observed in this study in larger, long-term human volunteer studies could be beneficial to pursue.

Resting-State Cortical Connectivity Underlying Cognitive-Motor Interactions in Gait and Postural Tasks in Young Adults

Neurology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 98 (1 Supplement 1) ◽  
pp. S3.2-S3
Author(s):  
Nathan Morelli ◽  
Nathan Johnson ◽  
Kimberly Kaiser ◽  
Richard Andreatta ◽  
Nicholas Heebner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Postural Control ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Dual Task ◽  
Resting State ◽  
Gait Speed ◽  
Network Connectivity ◽  
The Relationship

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between intra- and internetwork connectivity and DTC of postural, gait, and cognitive performance in healthy, young adults.BackgroundDual-task (DT) deficits persist after return to activity in those recovering from a sports related concussion. However, little is known about the relationship of cortical network function to DT capacity. Current evidence regarding the relationship between network connectivity and dual-task balance and gait performance is limited by focusing on older adults and those with cognitive impairments, using a condensed set of task demands, and neglecting the role of connectivity in the ability to adapt to minimize DT cost (DTC).Design/MethodsTwelve adults (7 females; age: 23.41 ± 2.74 years; height: 1.73 ± 0.10 m; weight: 72.66 ± 11.25 kg) volunteered for this study. Participants completed resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging, as well as single and DT variants of the Concussion Balance Test, Sensory Organization Test, and gait. Functional connectivity within and between the default mode (DMN), salience (SAL), and sensorimotor (SMN) networks were calculated for all subjects. Pearson's correlations were used to assess the association of connectivity to balance and gait speed DTC.ResultsInter-network connectivity between to DMN to the SAL and SMN demonstrated moderate to strong association to DTC of gait speed and postural control during tasks which perturbed sensory environments (r = −0.59 to 0.94, p < 0.05). There was no relationship between connectivity and DTC of cognitive performance during DT (r = −0.50 to 0.54, p > 0.05).ConclusionsOur findings highlight the role of the SAL, SMN, and DMN in cognitive-motor interactions during gait and postural control. Furthermore, functional connectivity underlying DT gait and static postural control performance express inverse relationships, suggesting task-dependent differences in system level processing.

Green tea from the far east to the drug store: focus on the cardiovascular beneficial effects

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda Landini ◽  
Eleni Rebelos ◽  
Miikka-Juhani Honka
Keyword(s):  
Green Tea ◽  
Far East ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Cvd Risk ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Major Cardiovascular Events ◽  
Randomized Controlled Studies ◽  
Potential Benefits

: Cardiovascular diseases(CVD) are the leading cause of death worldwide. Evidence from observational and randomized controlled studies showing the potential benefits of green tea on lowering CVD risk has been emerging rapidly during the past few decades.These benefits include reduced risk for major cardiovascular events, lowering of blood pressure, decreased LDL cholesterollevels and weight loss.At the same time, the understanding of physiological mechamismsbehind these alterations is advancing.Consumption of green tea originates from China thousands of years ago, but has since expanded all over the world.Recent advances in understanding the role of tea polyphenols, mainly catechins,as mediators of tea’s health benefits has caused an emergence of various types of green teaextracts(GTE) on the market. While drinking green tea is generally considered safe, there are concerns about thesafety of using tea extracts. The present article reviews the current evidence of green tea consumption leading to reducedCVD risk, the phenomenon’s potential biological mechanisms and the safety of using GTE.

Neuroanatomical correlates of cognitive performance in healthy young adults: the role of basal ganglia volume

2013 ◽  
Vol 46 (06) ◽  
Author(s):  
C Rhein ◽  
C Mühle ◽  
T Richter-Schmidinger ◽  
M Reichel ◽  
A Alexopoulos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Basal Ganglia ◽  
Cognitive Performance

scholarly journals Acute consumption of Peppermint and Chamomile teas produce contrasting effects on cognition and mood in healthy young adults

2016 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 327 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Moss ◽  
Robert Jones ◽  
Lucy Moss ◽  
Richard Cutter ◽  
Keith Wesnes
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Hot Water ◽  
Assessment System ◽  
Long Term Memory ◽  
Water Control ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Subjective Alertness ◽  
And Control

This study aimed to assess the acute effects of Peppermint and Chamomile herbal teas on cognitive performance and mood in healthy young adults.  A single factor independent groups design was employed.  One hundred and eighty undergraduate students volunteered to take part in the study for which they received course credit.  Participants were randomly allocated to one of three treatments: Peppermint tea, Chamomile tea or hot water (Control).  Mood scales were completed and participants then consumed their drink over a ten minute period and rested for twenty minutes.  Cognitive performance was assessed using a tailored version of The Cognitive Drug Research (CDR) computerised assessment system.  Post testing mood scales were then completed.  Data were analysed using independent groups ANOVAs followed by Tukey post hoc comparisons.  The analysis revealed that Peppermint tea significantly improved long term memory and speed of memory compared to both Chamomile and control treatments.  Chamomile tea significantly slowed speed of attention and impaired working memory compared to the Peppermint treatment.  Peppermint tea significantly increased subjective alertness compared to the Chamomile and control conditions.  Chamomile significantly increased subjective calmness compared to the Peppermint treatment.  The data show that acute consumption of Peppermint and Chamomile teas can impact on cognition and mood in healthy adults in contrasting directions.  The enhancing and arousing effects of Peppermint and calming/sedative effects of Chamomile observed are in keeping with the purported properties of these herbs and suggest beneficial effects can be drawn from their use.

Quantitative Conditions and Convergent Operations That Are Compatible With the Universe as a Persistent Generator of Successive Simulations

2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 4178-4187
Author(s):  
Michael A Persinger ◽  
Stanley A Koren
Keyword(s):  
Structural Organization ◽  
Total Duration ◽  
Human Cognition ◽  
Intrinsic Properties ◽  
Basic Assumptions ◽  
Electron Orbit ◽  
Quantitative Analyses ◽  
Massive Information ◽  
The Universe

                The capacity for computer-like simulations to be generated by massive information processing from electron-spin potentials supports Bostrom’s hypothesis that matter and human cognition might reflect simulations. Quantitative analyses of the basic assumptions indicate the universe may display properties of a simulation where photons behave as pixels and gravitons control the structural organization. The Lorentz solution for the square of the light and entanglement velocities converges with the duration of a single electron orbit that ultimately defines properties of matter. The approximately one trillion potential states within the same space with respect to the final epoch of the universe indicate that a different simulation, each with intrinsic properties, has been and will be generated as a type of tractrix defined by ±2 to 3 days (total duration 5 to 6 days). It may define the causal limits within a simulation. Because of the intrinsic role of photons as the pixel unit, phenomena within which flux densities are enhanced, such as human cognition (particularly dreaming) and the cerebral regions associated with those functions, create the conditions for entanglement or excess correlations between contiguous simulations. The consistent quantitative convergence of operations indicates potential validity for this approach. The emergent solutions offer alternative explanations for the limits of predictions for multivariate phenomena that could be coupled to more distal simulations.

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