Is Chocolate Beneficial for Brain Health? Dark Chocolate (70% Cacao) Increases Brain EEG Power Spectral Density (μV2) Gamma Wave Frequency (31–40Hz) Which Is Associated with Enhanced Cognitive Processing, Learning, Memory, Recall, Neural Synchrony and Mindfulness Meditation
Authors: Berk Lee , Lohman Everett , Bains Gurinder , Bruhjell Kristin , Bradburn Jessica , Vijayan Nikita , More Sayali 
Published: November 2023

Cacao or dark chocolate is a major source of flavonoids. Flavonoids are extremely potent antioxidants and anti‐inflammatory agents, with known mechanisms beneficial for cardiovascular health. However, the correlates of neuroelectric activities that initiate the mechanisms of cacao's beneficial effects on brain neurocognition, synchronization, memory, recall, mood and behavior are unknown. Studies have shown that absorbed cacao flavonoids penetrate and accumulate in brain hippocampal regions involved in learning and memory. Neurobiological correlates of cacao flavonoids cascade the expression of neuroprotective and neuromodulatory proteins that promote neurogenesis, neuronal function, brain connectivity, blood‐flow improvement and angiogenesis in brain and sensory systems. However, neuroelectric activity/neurological initiation and modulatory control from acute sensory awareness exposure cacao flavanoids on brain frequency states has remained unknown.

Purpose

Provide evidence for cocoa initiation of brain state frequency modulation and differentiation (0–40Hz) via electroencephalography (EEG).

Methods

Assessment of EEG Power Spectral Density (PSD) of 20 subjects during a sequence of cacao sensory awareness tasks ranging from: recall of past experiences; imagine eating chocolate right now; visualization/looking at real chocolate; olfaction; taste but not swallow; and finally chocolate consumption (70% cocoa bar) to satiation. For this study the chocolate bars used were Dominican Republic Oko Caribe organic beans, 70% Cacao (Parliament Chocolate, Redlands, CA). EEG wave band activity was recorded from 9 cerebral cortical scalp locations F3, Fz, F4, C3, Cz, C4, P3, Pz, and P4 using the EEG B‐Alert 10X System™, Advanced Brain Monitoring, Carlsbad, CA. Second by second bandwidth (BW) for each subject was recorded and summarized. The PSD band widths BW were Z‐scored, referenced to eyes closed baseline task pretesting.

Results

Z‐scores, which represent the distance of raw score from baseline mean in units of standard deviation, were graphed and analyzed for each task and BW across 0–40 Hz. The overall respective BW were collapsed across all 9 EEG cerebral cortical channels. Gamma Band Activity (γBA) (31–40HZ) for PSD was greatest in all 9 brain regions for all 6 sensory tasks (p<0.01). The most profound observation was that the composite of sensory tasks PSD for γBA was greater than any other of the six frequencies (p<0.01).

Conclusion

This study provides objective evidence that EEG γBA is initiated by different cacao sensory awareness tasks ranging from prior conditioned experience to acute cacao consumption, with subsequent modulation for brain, behavior and physiological benefits. We propose this protocol as an assessment “tool” in determining the efficacy of cacao dose response modulation of PSD γBA 31–40 Hz for optimization of brain health benefits.

Support or Funding Information

School Allied Health Professions, Loma Linda University