The study will assess the immediate, short-term benefits of a single dose of a supplement containing 200mg of Panax quinquefolius (American Ginseng) on cognition (brain function) in healthy young adults. To understand the effect this product may have, the participants will complete a series of questionnaires and cognitive tests (tests of memory and brain function) at set intervals across a 6-hour period. Blood samples will also be collected to assess the impact of the study product on the participants.
Lifestyle strategies such as nutritional interventions have received increased attention as they provide safe and effective solutions to improve cognitive performance. Ginseng, a popular herbal root extract obtained from plants of the Panax family, is widely regarded as a panacea in traditional medicine and has been used for centuries to treat mental and physical ailments and promote longevity. Ginseng contains a number of bioactives including flavonoids and other phenolic compounds, essential oils, and vitamins. However, the main bioactive ingredients in ginseng are purported to be ginsenosides including Rb1, Re, Rd, and F11. Among multiple species of ginseng, American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) provides a particularly rich source of these ginsenoside when compared to other ginseng varieties, and emerging research suggests that supplementation with Panax quinquefolius may elicit cognitive enhancement effects. Cereboost TM from Givaudan SA is a standardised extract of American ginseng and has been reported to exert such benefits. For example, following acute supplementation with 100 mg, 200 mg and 400 mg Cereboost TM, improvements on an immediate word recall task, a visuospatial working memory task, a choice reaction time task, a composite working memory factor, and a measure of subjective mood (i.e. calmness) were observed in healthy young adults (aged 18-40 years) during the six hours after consumption. Adding to these findings, a study of middle-aged adults (aged 40-60 years) observed similar acute benefits of 200 mg Cereboost TM on a composite working memory factor after three hours, although no changes in mood were observed in this older age group. More recently, improved working memory and attention during the immediate postprandial period (2-6 hours) in healthy young adults was reported following Cereboost TM 200mg intake. We are interested in conducting a larger study (n=200) employing standardised methods to investigate the acute benefits of a single dose (200mg) of American ginseng (Cereboost TM) and focusing mainly on the Modified Attention Network Task (MANT) test as the primary outcome.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
TRIPLE
Enrollment
27
Cereboost TM capsules delivering 200 mg of Panax quinquefolius extract standardised for ginsenosides (10-12%)
Placebo capsules, identical in appearance to active treatment, but only containing maltodextrin
Quadram Insitute Clinical Research Facility
Norwich, Norfolk, United Kingdom
University of East Anglia
Norwich, Norfolk, United Kingdom
Measure of Attention
Measured by the Attentional Network Task (ANT), expressed by accuracy score (%correct) at 6 hours post consumption
Time frame: Baseline, 2-hours, 4-hours and 6-hours post intervention
Measure of Cognition (Executive function)
Measured by a neuropsychological test battery (https://neuropsychology.online) including the following cognitive tasks; Reaction time, Digit span - backwards, Go/No-Go, Spatial working memory - forwards, Trail making B.
Time frame: Baseline, 2-hours, 4-hours and 6-hours post intervention
Measure of Cognition (Reaction Time)
Measured by a neuropsychological test battery (https://neuropsychology.online) including the following cognitive tasks; Reaction time, Digit span - backwards, Go/No-Go, Spatial working memory - forwards, Trail making B.
Time frame: Baseline, 2-hours, 4-hours and 6-hours post intervention
Measure of Mood State
Established by the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule - Now (PANAS-X) questionnaire. The questionnaire includes 20 mood-related adjectives, and participants rate the extent to which they are currently experiencing each emotion on a 5-point Likert scale, ranging from 'Very slightly or not at all' (scored as 1) to 'Extremely or very much' (scored as 5). Half of the presented words related to positive emotions, the other half to negative emotions. Separate scores are obtained for positive affect and negative affect by summing ratings for all similar emotions.
Time frame: At the beginning and end of the cognitive task batteries at baseline, and at 2-hours, 4-hours and 6-hours post intervention
Measure of Subjective Sleepiness
Established by using the validated Karolinska sleepiness scale (KSS), a 9-point Likert scale. Anchor points on the scale are '1. Extremely alert' and '9. Extremely sleepy, it is an effort to stay awake'.
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Time frame: At the beginning and end of the cognitive task batteries at baseline, and at 2-hours, 4-hours and 6-hours post intervention
Measure of Subjective Mental Fatigue
Established by the subjective mental fatigue questionnaire on a 9-point Likert scale. Anchor points on the scale are '1. Very low/Alert' and '9. Very high/Fatigued'.
Time frame: At the beginning and end of the cognitive task batteries at baseline, and at 2-hours, 4-hours and 6-hours post intervention
Measure of American Ginseng metabolites
Blood sample will be collected to measure metabolites resulting from American ginseng metabolism
Time frame: Blood collection at 6-hours post intervention timepoint