Brian Tiplady

Cognitive and mood effects of 8 weeks' supplementation with 400 mg or 1000 mg of the omega-3 essential fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in healthy children aged 10-12 years.

Abstract Introduction: Despite media and public expectation of efficacy, no study to date has investigated the cognitive and mood effects of omega 3 supplementation in healthy children. Subjects and methods: This randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel groups pilot study assessed the cognitive and mood effects of either 400 mg or 1000 mg of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in 90 healthy children aged 10–12 years. Cognitive performance and mood was assessed prior to, and 8 weeks following, commencement of treatment. Results: There was a significant treatment effect on one cognitive measure (speed of word recognition), with the lower dose speeding, and the higher dose slowing, performance. Overall, the pattern of results strongly suggests that this effect was due to chance fluctuations in performance and that the treatments had no consistent or interpretable effect on performance. Conclusions: The results here do not suggest that supplementation with these doses of DHA for 8 weeks has any beneficial effect on brain function in cognitively intact children.

Cognitive and mood effects in healthy children during 12 weeks' supplementation with multi-vitamin/minerals

Adequate levels of vitamins and minerals are essential for optimal neural functioning. A high proportion of individuals, including children, suffer from deficiencies in one or more vitamins or minerals. This study investigated whether daily supplementation with vitamins/minerals could modulate cognitive performance and mood in healthy children. In this randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel groups investigation, eighty-one healthy children aged from 8 to 14 years underwent laboratory assessments of their cognitive performance and mood pre-dose and at 1 and 3 h post-dose on the first and last days of 12 weeks supplementation with a commercially available vitamins/mineral product (Pharmaton Kiddi). Interim assessments were also completed at home after 4 and 8 weeks at 3 h post-dose. Each assessment comprised completion of a cognitive battery, delivered over the Internet, which included tasks assessing mood and the speed and accuracy of attention and aspects of memory (secondary, semantic and spatial working memory). The vitamin/mineral group performed more accurately on two attention tasks: Arrows choice reaction time task at 4 and 8 weeks; Arrow Flankers choice reaction time task at 4, 8 and 12 weeks. A single task outcome (Picture Recognition errors) evinced significant decrements at 12 weeks. Mood was not modulated in any interpretable manner. Whilst it is possible that the significant improvements following treatment were due to non-significant numerical differences in performance at baseline, these results would seem to suggest that vitamin/mineral supplementation has the potential to improve brain function in healthy children. This proposition requires further investigation.

Vitamins and psychological functioning: a mobile phone assessment of the effects of a B vitamin complex, vitamin C and minerals on cognitive performance and subjective mood and energy

Despite being widely consumed, the effects of multi‐vitamin supplements on psychological functioning have received little research attention.

The effects of multivitamin supplementation on mood and general well-being in healthy young adults. A laboratory and at-home mobile phone assessment

Previous research has suggested that multivitamin (MV) supplementation may be associated with beneficial effects for mood and general well-being, although treatment durations have typically been less than 90 days, samples have often been restricted to males only and acute effects have not been adequately differentiated from chronic effects. In the current study a MV supplement containing high levels of B-vitamins was administered daily to 138 healthy young adult participants between the ages of 20 and 50 years over a 16-week period. Chronic mood measures (GHQ-28, POMS, Chalder fatigue, PILL, Bond-Lader and custom visual analogue scales) were administered pre-dose at baseline, 8- and 16-weeks. Changes in Bond-Lader and VAS in response to a multi-tasking framework (MTF) were also assessed at 8- and 16-weeks. For a subset of participants, at-home mobile-phone assessments of mood were assessed on a weekly basis using Bond-Lader and VAS. No significant treatment effects were found for any chronic laboratory mood measures. In response to the MTF, a significant treatment x time interaction was found for STAI-S, with a trend towards a greater increase in stress ratings for male participants in the MV group at 16 weeks. However, this finding may have been attributable to a larger proportion of students in the male MV group. In contrast, at-home mobile-phone assessments, where assessments were conducted post-dose, revealed significantly reduced stress, physical fatigue and anxiety in the MV group in comparison to placebo across a number of time points. Further research using both acute and chronic dosing regimens are required in order to properly differentiate these effects.

Cognitive functioning in polycystic ovary syndrome

To date there have been no published studies of cognitive functioning in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). This large internet-based study compared neuropsychological functioning in right-handed women with (minimum n=135) and without PCOS (minimum n=322), stratified according to use of anti-androgen medication and level of depression. Women with PCOS are thought to have hyperandrogenism and hyperestrogenism which was hypothesized to differentially influence cognitive function across cognitive domains. Performance did not differ according to diagnosis on mental rotation and spatial location tasks. Hence, no evidence to support the view that women with PCOS display a more masculine cognitive profile due to hyperandrogenism. Despite presumed hyperestrogenism, women with PCOS demonstrated impaired performance in terms of speed and accuracy, on reaction time and word recognition tasks. These findings are intriguing given the well-documented roles of estrogen and testosterone in cognitive function. Overall, these findings suggest that PCOS is not associated with masculinized cognitive functioning, and, although associated with impaired performance on tasks considered to demonstrate female-advantage, such impairments are subtle and are unlikely to affect daily functioning.

The Effect of Breakfast Prior to Morning Exercise on Cognitive Performance, Mood and Appetite Later in the Day in Habitually Active Women.

Pre-exercise nutritional practices for active females exercising for mood, cognitive and appetite benefits are not well established. Results from an initial field pilot study showed that higher energy intake at breakfast was associated with lower fatigue and higher overall mood and alertness post-exercise (all p < 0.05). In a follow-up, randomised, controlled trial, 24 active women completed three trials in a balanced, cross-over design. At 0815 h participants completed baseline cognitive tasks, mood and appetite visual analogue scales (VAS) and were administered a cereal breakfast (providing 118 or 236 kcal) or no breakfast. After 45 min, they completed a 30 min run at 65% heart rate reserve (HRR). Parameters were re-assessed immediately after exercise, then hourly until lunch (~1240 h), immediately post-lunch and at 1500 and 1900 h via a mobile phone. Breakfast enhanced feelings of relaxation before lunch (p < 0.05, d > 0.40), though breakfast was detrimental for working memory mid-afternoon (p = 0.019, d = 0.37) and mental fatigue and tension later in the day (all p < 0.05, d > 0.038). Breakfast was also beneficial for appetite control before lunch irrespective of size (all p < 0.05, d > 0.43). These data provide information on pre-exercise nutritional practices for active females and suggest that a small breakfast eaten prior to exercise can benefit post-exercise mood and subjective appetite ratings.

Cognitive and mood effects of alcohol and energy drinks alone and in combination

Issue: Harmful use of alcohol is a leading cause of disease burden nfor young Australians. Little is known about the context of adolescent nalcohol initiation and the development of harmful patterns of nconsumption. This research reports descriptive baseline data from a nnational Australian longitudinal cohort. nApproach: Parent-child dyads were recruited nationally via NSW, nTasmanian and WA secondary schools. During 2010/11, 1929 nparent–child dyads completed baseline surveys. Measures include: nalcohol use and harms; rules; parental style and monitoring; family nrelationships, confl ict and relations; peer substance use and approval; nand delinquency. nKey Findings: Sixty-eight percent of adolescents (M = 12.5 yrs) nhad tried alcohol. Parent factors including frequency and quantity of nalcohol consumption (÷2 n(3, N=1880) = 79.27, P < 0.00005; ÷2 n(3, N=1879) = n63.75, P < 0.00005), drinking alcohol in the presence of their child n(÷2 n(3, N=1879) = 81.63, P < 0.00005) and younger age of alcohol initiation n(÷2 n(1, N=1785) = 20.13, P < 0.00005) were associated with adolescent nalcohol initiation. Children with higher levels of rule breaking and naggressive behaviour (÷2 n(1, N=1903) = 44.43, P < 0.0005; ÷2 n(1, N=1893) = n13.40, P = 0.0003), who were male (÷2 n(1, N=1904) = 6.72, P = 0.0095) and nwho had at least some friends who had tried alcohol (÷2 n(3, N=1896) = n506.94, P < 0.00005) and who approved of drinking alcohol n(÷2 n(2, N=1903) = 91.21, P < 0.00005) were more likely to have tried nalcohol themselves. nImplications: To address current levels of binge drinking and long nterm harms from alcohol, it is essential to understand the context of nearly-adolescent alcohol use and how harmful trajectories may ndevelop. nConclusion: Future analyses of this cohort will provide insight into nthe impact of contextual factors on adolescent alcohol use and inform npublic health policy and prevention.Background / Aims: Cannabis Withdrawal Syndrome is proposed in the DSM-5 due for release 2013. Problematic cannabis use among remote Indigenous communities has been reported and stressing out has been reported when cannabis is not available. Sudden cessation of cannabis use by remanded/sentenced inmates could further increase risk of stressing out however, the experience of withdrawal has not been considered. n nMethods: Indigenous inmates aged 18-40 years were recruited from a far north Queensland Correctional Centre. Retrospective cannabis use, dependence and withdrawal measures prior to incarceration were self-reported. Assessments included other drug use, Time Line Follow Back, Severity of Dependence Scale, Indigenous Risk Impact Screen and Cannabis Withdrawal Checklist. n nResults: From 101 males inmates, 89% (n=90) reported lifetime use and 70% (n=70) used cannabis <3 months before prison. Of the 70 current cannabis users, 57% (n=41) believed use was excessive, 63% (n=44) met dependence criteria and reported an average of 2.9 withdrawal symptoms (most likely: irritability/anger/aggression, nervousness/anxiety, sleep difficulties, depression and physical symptoms). n nConclusion: Results reveal heavy and problematic cannabis use and dependence symptoms however, withdrawal is not well defined. To improve assessment and timely treatment of cannabis withdrawal within custodial settings, studies nare needed to document onset, time course and severity of symptoms and to assist in management of withdrawal. Findings from this study contributed to NHMRC#1020514 (commencing October 2012) to interview new entrants to prison on eight occasions over 28 days. Assessments validated with biological markers, will examine onset and severity of cannabis withdrawal and psychological distress.

An evaluation of the cognitive and mood effects of administration with a multivitamin and mineral supplement for 12 weeks in schoolchildren

Adequate consumption of vitamins and minerals is essential for the optimal performance of a host of physiological processes that have both direct and indirect effects on brain function, yet modern diets predispose individuals to deficiencies in one or more micronutrients. The present randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind study investigated the cognitive, mood and fatigue reducing effects of taking a daily micronutrient supplement for 12 weeks. Ninety-six children received a supplement containing a selection of vitamins and minerals or matched placebo in the form of chewable tablets daily for 12 weeks. Cognitive performance was assessed using an internet-based battery and the Cognitive Drug Research (CDR) computerised battery. The internet battery included mood visual analogue scales. On the laboratory visits on the first (Day 1) and last (Day 85) days of treatment children completed both batteries pre-dose and at 1 and 3xa0h post-dose. During the interim period, on Day 29 and Day 57, they completed assessments at home under parental supervision using only the internet battery. Results showed that, compared to placebo, participants in the active group performed better on the attention tasks from the internet battery throughout the assessments, with this effect becoming apparent on the first day of treatment. Decrements on one task of memory after 12 weeks were detected. There were no significant changes on measures of mood or fatigue.

The effect of the dietary and exercise practices of female habitual morning exercisers on cognition, mood and appetite on days of exercise and days of rest. An observational study

The current observational study investigated differences in cognition, mood and appetite on days of exercise compared to rest in an active female population. It also assessed the effect of breakfast size prior to exercise on these parameters. Forty five, healthy, active females participated in the study (meanxa0±xa0SD age and Body Mass Index (BMI) were 21.4xa0±xa03.3xa0y and 21.8xa0±xa02.8xa0kg/m[2] respectively) each completing a two study days in a randomized cross-over design. On each study day participants completed cognitive tasks and mood and appetite scales on a mobile phone upon waking, at 1130xa0hrs, 1500xa0hrs and 2000xa0hrs. On the exercise study day they undertook a morning exercise session which was of typical mode and intensity for them. On the rest study day they refrained from any strenuous physical activity. Participants were required to keep a record of their food intake throughout the day. There were no significant differences between days of exercise and rest for cognitive task performance, appetite or energy intake. Participants were more alert on the exercise day, but more relaxed and reported better overall mood on the rest day. An increase in the kcal content of breakfast was associated with lower mental fatigue and better overall mood after exercise. In an active female population, consuming breakfast prior to exercise may improve post-exercise mood, and this effect may be dose-dependent.