The Effects of Differing Cognitive Task Demands on Whole-body Energy Metabolism and Cerebral Blood-flow: Modulation by Multivitamins/Minerals and Coenzyme Q10
Condition: Metabolic Processes
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      When completing difficult tasks, the brain requires faster delivery of energy sources (oxygen
      and glucose) via the blood. There is evidence to suggest that some nutritional supplements
      may increase blood circulation in the brain which can result in improved task performance.
      The purpose of the study is to evaluate the effects of a multivitamin/mineral preparation
      (containing a range of vitamins and minerals as contained in commonly consumed
      multivitamin/minerals available off the shelf) in healthy females on cerebral (brain) blood
      flow and energy expenditure during cognitive task performance.
    

Detailed description: 
      Vitamins, minerals and CoQ10, exert a number of physiological effects directly relevant to
      energy supply and metabolism. Therefore it is hypothesized that the nutritional interventions
      in this trial will facilitate brain metabolic substrate distribution and utilisation during
      demanding brain activities with a potential benefit on task performance. This pilot,
      double-blind, placebo controlled, 3-arm parallel groups trial will utilise two concomitant
      non-invasive techniques:

        -  Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) and

        -  Indirect Calorimetry (ICa). The NIRS will be utilised to measure the rate of delivery of
           metabolic substrates (via cerebral blood flow i.e. concentrations of total-haemoglobin)
           and oxygen extraction from the blood (concentration of deoxy-haemoglobin) in the frontal
           cortex of the brain during cognitive tasks.

      The ICa calculated from exhaled gas analysis will be utilised to quantify the overall
      'energy' costs of performance of tasks in terms of oxygen uptake, carbon dioxide production,
      energy expenditure, and substrate (fat and carbohydrate) metabolism.

      Cognitive tasks of differing levels of difficulty will be utilised with the hypothesis that
      energy expenditure parameters and blood flow/oxygen extraction will increase with rising task
      demands, and that any treatment related effect will be more evident under conditions of
      increased neural activity. The effects on the above mentioned parameters of two
      multivitamin/multimineral preparations (MMP) will be compared to placebo subsequent to single
      dose administration (acute) and following daily administration over an eight week period
      (chronic). The nutritional interventions are expected to improve nutritional status and
      thereby facilitate energy supply and metabolism and to have positive impact on the study
      parameters. The effects of the nutritional interventions on nutritional status will be
      evaluated by measuring the plasma/serum concentrations of a selected subset of analytes. It
      is hypothesized that the nutritional status at baseline and after eight week supplementation
      period will have an impact on metabolic substrate conversion, oxygen utilisation, cerebral
      blood flow and cognitive performance.
    

Intervention name(s): Supradyn® (1RDA+CoQ10); Supradyn® (3RDA); Placebo
Intervention type(s): Dietary Supplement; Dietary Supplement; Dietary Supplement
Intervention MeSH terms: Coenzyme Q10
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Quadruple (Participant, Care Provider, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Primary purpose: Basic Science
Keywords: cerebral blood flow; cognitive function; vitamins; energy expenditure; NIRS; Indirect calorimetry