Clinical trial NCT06812689: The Acute Effects of Cocoa Flavanols Intake on Overt and Covert Attention
Official title: The Acute Effects of Cocoa Flavanols Intake on Overt and Covert Attention: a Randomized, Double-blind Crossover Trial
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Healthy Young Adults
Keywords: cocoa flavanols
overt attention
covert attention
Lead sponsor: Konya Necmettin Erbakan Üniversitesi
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey
First posted: 2025-02-06
Enrollment: 48
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Maximum age (years): 30
Standard ages: ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: CROSSOVER
Primary purpose: BASIC_SCIENCE

Brief summary: The present study aimed to examine whether a cocoa beverage containing 710 mg of flavanols enhances both overt and covert attention in healthy young adults, using a randomized, double-blind, baseline- and placebo-controlled crossover design.

Detailed description: Cocoa flavanols (CF) have various physiological effects that may directly or indirectly enhance cognitive functions. Following CF intake, a series of biochemical processes within vascular smooth muscle cells lead to the relaxation of smooth muscles, the dilation of blood vessels, and an increase in cerebral blood flow. For the brain to function optimally, cerebral blood flow must be maintained at a level that ensures a constant supply of oxygen and glucose to neurons. During periods of intense neuronal activity, neurons require more oxygen and nutrients, which is met by an increase in blood flow. Given that CF has been shown to enhance blood flow and perfusion in brain regions associated with attention (e.g., the parietal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex), it was hypothesized that CF intake could acutely improve both overt and covert attention.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Normal or corrected-to-normal visual acuity

Exclusion Criteria:

* History of neurological, psychiatric, cardiovascular or metabolic disorders
* Following a medically restricted diet
* Taking antidepressant, anxiolytic, and antipsychotic drugs in the past three months
* Currently taking anticoagulant
* Taking herbal supplements in the past week
* Allergic or intolerant to cocoa, caffeine, sucrose, or fructose
* Color blindness

Primary outcomes:
measure: Spatial cueing task - accuracy
timeFrame: 1 hour 40 minutes post-ingestion
measure: Spatial cueing task - reaction time
timeFrame: 1 hour 40 minutes post-ingestion
measure: Visual search task - accuracy
timeFrame: 1 hour 40 minutes post-ingestion
measure: Visual search task - reaction time
timeFrame: 1 hour 40 minutes post-ingestion
Secondary outcomes:
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Konya
country: Turkey
facility: Konya Necmettin Erbakan University Cognitive Psychology Laboratuary
Study officials:
affiliation: Konya Necmettin Erbakan University
name: Oğuz Karataş, Ph.D.
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References:
citation: Karataş O, Karabay A, Alıcı T. Uzun süreli kakao flavanolleri alımının bilişsel işlevlere ve duygudurumuna etkileri ve bu etkilerin altındaki fizyolojik mekanizmalar: Bir derleme çalışması. Türk Psikoloji Yazıları. 2022;25(49):1-26. http://dx.doi.org/10.31828/tpy1301996120211203m000043
citation: Lamport DJ, Pal D, Moutsiana C, Field DT, Williams CM, Spencer JP, Butler LT. The effect of flavanol-rich cocoa on cerebral perfusion in healthy older adults during conscious resting state: a placebo controlled, crossover, acute trial. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2015 Sep;232(17):3227-34. doi: 10.1007/s00213-015-3972-4. Epub 2015 Jun 7.
citation: Francis ST, Head K, Morris PG, Macdonald IA. The effect of flavanol-rich cocoa on the fMRI response to a cognitive task in healthy young people. J Cardiovasc Pharmacol. 2006;47 Suppl 2:S215-20. doi: 10.1097/00005344-200606001-00018.