David O Kennedy

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

..They are discussed in terms of how an increased understanding of the relationship between their ecological roles and CNS effects might further the field of natural, phytochemical drug discovery...

....

....

..In contrast to the literature investigating restricted ranges of vitamins, most of the evidence regarding multivitamins was collected from healthy, non-elderly samples, suggesting that more research in this population is warranted...

..These results suggest that beverages containing L-theanine and caffeine may have a different pharmacological profile to those containing caffeine alone...

..Few studies have assessed the relationship between supplementation with vitamins/minerals and psychological functioning in healthy cohorts of non-elderly adults...

..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...

..This proposition requires further investigation...

..Panax ginseng caused a reduction in blood glucose levels 1 hour following consumption when ingested without glucose.These results confirm that Panax ginseng may possess glucoregulatory properties and can enhance cognitive performance...

..Changes in hemodynamic response to tasks were not accompanied by consistent changes in cognitive performance...

....

..Both glucose and caffeine can improve aspects of cognitive performance and, in the case of caffeine, mood. There are few studies investigating the effects of the two substances in combination...

..The results confirm previous observations of the cholinesterase inhibiting properties of S. officinalis, and improved mood and cognitive performance following the administration of single doses to healthy young participants...

..Differences in the patterns of responses to caffeine by habitual consumers and habitual non-consumers may go some way to explaining why some individuals become caffeine consumers...

..05). Overall these data suggest that Panax ginseng can improve performance and subjective feelings of mental fatigue during sustained mental activity. This effect may be related to the acute gluco-regulatory properties of the extract...

..These findings suggest that caffeine, at levels typically found in a single dietary serving, is able to modulate cerebral blood flow but these effects are subject to tolerance...

..As the two herbs are most often sold in combination with each other the current study assessed the anxiolytic properties of such a combination during laboratory-induced stress...

..The current study investigated the effect of supplementation with a multi-vitamin/mineral on fatigue and cognitive function in healthy females...

..These encouraging pilot data warrant further application of NIRS in this area...

..Although recent research has demonstrated modulation of mood in keeping with these roles, no studies to date have directly investigated the effects of this herbal medication on laboratory-induced psychological stress...

..The aim of the study was to assess the effects of oral ingestion of the 'green tea' polyphenol epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) on cognitive performance, mood and localised cerebral blood flow (CBF) parameters in healthy human adults...

..The present study assessed the effects of Panax ginseng (G115) on subjective mood and aspects of 'working' memory processes, following a single dose and following sub-chronic (7 days) ingestion, in healthy volunteers...

..The benefits to glucose regulation associated with long-term ginseng use may only be present in populations with compromised glucose control; however, further research is needed to confirm such a speculation...

..These findings, taken together with other recent reports of null effects, suggest that dietary supplementation with n-3 PUFA in healthy, normally developing and impairment-free populations is unlikely to result in cognitive enhancement...

....

..However, the relationship between physiological and cognitive processes associated with processing emotional material are more complex...

..Resveratrol may therefore modulate aspects of brain function in humans...

..These results indicate that a combination of caffeine and glucose can ameliorate deficits in cognitive performance and subjective fatigue during extended periods of cognitive demand...

..This was accompanied by improved accuracy during Serial Sevens and Serial Threes following the 640 mg and the 960 mg dose, respectively. The paper concludes with speculation into the possible mechanisms underlying these effects...

..742 and -13.510, respectively, p<0.05) and secondary memory (M=-30.675 and -47.183, respectively, p<0.05)...

..It is suggested that ginseng would benefit from rigorous research further delineating its acute effects and exploring the relationship between acute effects and those seen during and following chronic administration regimens...