While there is evidence that long-chain n-3 PUFA supplementation benefits mood, the extent to which a single high dose of n-3 PUFA can induce acute mood effects has not been examined. The present study investigated whether a single dose of a DHA-rich powder affects self-reported mood in middle-aged males during elevated cognitive demand. In a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with a balanced crossover design, twenty-nine healthy males (age M = 52.8 years, sd = 5.3) were administered a powder (in a meal) containing 4·74 g n-3 PUFA (DHA 4020 mg; EPA 720 mg) or placebo in random order on two different testing days separated by a washout period of 7 ± 3 d. Participants completed mood assessments before and after completing two cognitive test batteries at baseline and again 3·5-4·0 h following the consumption of the active treatment or placebo. While completion of the cognitive test batteries increased negative mood, differential effects for alertness (P = 0·008) and stress (P = 0·04) followed consumption of the DHA-rich powder compared with placebo. Although alertness declined when completing the cognitive batteries, it was higher following consumption of the DHA-rich powder compared with placebo (P = 0·006). Conversely, stress was lower following consumption of the DHA-rich powder relative to placebo, though this difference only approached significance (P = 0·05). Overall, results from this pilot study demonstrate that a single high dose of n-3 PUFA may deliver acute mood benefits following elevated cognitive demand in healthy middle-aged males.

The use of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (ω-3 PUFA) supplements is increasingly common among middle-aged and older adults. Users of ω-3 PUFA supplements often report using such supplements to support cognitive health, despite mixed findings reported within the ω-3 PUFA literature. To date, very few studies have explored cognitive effects in distinctly middle-aged (40 to 60 years) adults, and none have examined the acute effects (in the hours following a single dose) on cognitive performance. The current study evaluated whether a single dose of ω-3 PUFA (4020 mg docosahexaenoic acid and 720 mg eicosapentaenoic acid) influences cognitive performance and cardiovascular function in middle-aged males. Cognitive performance and cardiovascular function were assessed before and 3.5–4 h after consumption of a high dose of ω-3 PUFA (DHA + EPA) or placebo, incorporated into a standardized meal (i.e., single serve of Greek yogurt). In this study of middle-aged males, no significant differential treatment effects were observed for cognitive performance. However, a significant reduction in aortic systolic blood pressure (pre-dose to post-dose) was apparent following consumption of the ω-3 PUFA (DHA + EPA) treatment (mean difference = −4.11 mmHg, p = 0.004) but not placebo (mean difference = −1.39 mmHg, p = 0.122). Future replication in a sample comprising females, as well as patients with hypertension, is merited.

Several biological mechanisms have been proposed to account for age-related cognitive decline including cerebrovascular disease, mitochondrial dysfunction, inflammation, impaired neuronal signaling, and reduced antioxidant capacity. Oxidative stress has been well studied although more intervention trials are needed. A limited number of clinical trials using nutraceuticals to target oxidative stress and improve cognitive function have been undertaken. Of these, the most promising interventions are Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), pycnogenol, and the nonflavonoid polyphenols, curcumin, and resveratrol. This chapter discusses some of the mechanisms underlying cognitive aging, with a particular focus on oxidative stress and reviews the efficacy and mechanisms by which nutraceuticals improve cognitive function. We conclude that while there is some evidence that nutraceuticals with antioxidant activity may reduce cognitive decline, and that there are plausible biological mechanisms by which this may occur, large and long-term clinical trials are lacking and results are somewhat inconsistent. A recently completed trial completed by our group, the Australian Research Council Longevity Intervention, may shed some light on this topic.

Cerebral white matter microstructural integrity declines significantly with increasing age (Reddan et al., 2018). Moreover, it appears that elevated blood pressure is a significant predictor of poorer microstructural integrity in older adults (Salat et al., 2012). However, previous work has focused on peripheral rather than central (aortic) blood pressures. Further, mean arterial blood pressure (MABP) may be a better predictor of cerebral structure as it reflects perfusion pressure in organs. The present work examines whether MABP (brachial as well as central) predicts cerebral microstructure and subsequently spatial working memory (SWkM) performance in older adults with age-associated memory impairment (AAMI). Data for 64 older adults meeting criteria for AAMI was examined. Brachial and central blood pressures were assessed using a sphygmoCor XCEL device (AtCor Medical). MABP was calculated using the equation 1/3(SBP) + 2/3(DBP) (Sesso et al., 2000). SWkM was assessed using the SWkM task of the SUCCAB (Pipingas et al., 2010). Diffusion MRI data was collected using a Siemans Trio 3T scanner and analysed using the NUNDA advanced diffusion pipeline (Alpert et al., 2016). Six white matter regions of interest were selected based upon previously identified associations with blood pressure as well as working memory. Multiple regression and mediation analysis was performed using SPSS (results considered significant if p<0.05). After controlling for age, gender, education, BMI, and use of blood pressure medications, brachial and central MABP's negatively predicted microstructural integrity within the fornix (brachial b= −0.002, p=0.017; central b= −0.002, p=0.020). Fornix microstructure predicted SWkM accuracy (b= 3.017, p=0.005), but not response time (p=0.431). While MABP's did not directly predict SWkM accuracy (brachial p=0.541; central p= 0.648), an indirect association via fornix microstructure was identified (brachial effect = −0.0063, 95% CI: −0.0139 - −0.002; central effect = −0.0064; 95% CI: −0.0141 - -0.002). Elevated MABP appears to predict poorer fornix microstructure. There also appears to be an indirect effect of elevated MABP on SWkM performance via a detrimental effect upon fornix integrity. Subsequently, modifying MABP, through medication or lifestyle interventions may support neurocognitive health in older adults at risk of advanced cognitive decline.

Introduction: With an aging population there is an important need for the development of effective treatments for the amelioration of cognitive decline. Multiple mechanisms underlie age-related cognitive decline including cerebrovascular disease, oxidative stress, reduced antioxidant capacity and mitochondrial dysfunction. CoQ10 is a novel treatment which has the potential to improve brain function in healthy elderly populations due to established beneficial effects on mitochondrial function, vascular function and oxidative stress. Methods and Analysis: We describe the protocol for a 90-day randomized controlled trial which examines the efficacy of Ubiquinol (200 mg/day) vs. placebo for the amelioration of cognitive decline in a healthy (non-demented) elderly sample, aged 60 years and over. The primary outcome is the effect of Ubiquinol at 90 days compared to baseline on CogTrack composite measures of cognition. Additional cognitive measures, as well as measures of cardiovascular function, oxidative stress, liver function and mood will also be monitored across 30-, 60- and 90- day time points. Data analyses will involve repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA). Discussion: This study will be the first of its kind to provide important clinical and mechanistic data regarding the efficacy of Ubiquinol as a treatment for age-related cognitive decline in the healthy elderly with important implications for productivity and quality of life within this age group. Clinical Trial Registration: The trial has been registered with the Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTRN12618001841268).

Nature, it turns out, wields an extraordinary influence on emotions and trading. Traders and investors need to understand how their physiological design directs their behaviour toward money, other traders, the markets, profit strategies and so on. For traders, training like an athlete makes perfect sense – for example, if one observes the increase that takes place in cardiovascular tone of a trader's body following a day of trading in volatile markets. Physically active people also exhibit lower levels of anxiety and depression, partly due to the effects of exercise on norepinephrine, which helps the brain cope more effectively with stress. Weight training also activates the adrenal glands which help to regulate stress. Money might not sleep, but traders and investors should. Not sleeping enough increases cortisol levels, decreases leptin, a hormone that regulates appetite via feelings of satiety, and upregulates ghrelin: this is …

Gamma-band oscillatory activity (GBA) is an established neural signature of sustained occluded object representation in infants and adults. However, it is not yet known whether the magnitude of GBA in the infant brain reflects the quantity of occluded items held in memory. To examine this, we compared GBA of 6-8 month-old infants during occlusion periods after the representation of two objects vs. that of one object. We found that maintaining a representation of two objects during occlusion resulted in significantly greater GBA relative to maintaining a single object. Further, this enhancement was located in the right occipital region, which is consistent with previous object representation research in adults and infants. We conclude that enhanced GBA reflects neural processes underlying infants' representation of small numbers.

Objective. Nutritional deficiencies have been associated with cognitive decline and mood disturbances. Vitamin intake can influence mood and randomized controlled trials have demonstrated that multivitamin supplements are capable of reducing mild symptoms of mood dysfunction. However, few studies have focussed on healthy older women. Methods. This study investigated the effects of four weeks' multivitamin supplementation on mood in 76 healthy women aged 50-75 years. Mood was assessed before and after intervention in the laboratory using measures of current mood and retrospective experiences of mood over the past week or longer. Mobile phones were used to assess changes in real-time mood ratings, twice weekly in the home. Results. There were no multivitamin-related benefits identified for measures of current mood or reflections of recent mood when measured in the laboratory. In-home assessments, where mood was rated several hours after dose, revealed multivitamin supplementation improved ratings of stress, with a trend to reduce mental fatigue. Conclusions. Over four weeks, subtle changes to stress produced by multivitamin supplementation in healthy older women may not be detected when only pre- and posttreatment mood is captured. In-home mobile phone-based assessments may be more sensitive to the effects of nutritional interventions compared to traditional in-laboratory assessments.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS:Central blood pressure rises with age, which increases cardiovascular risk. There is some evidence that nutritional supplements may be useful to reduce central blood pressures in older people, but no studies have investigated the effects of multivitamin supplements for this purpose. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study investigated the effects of 16-weeks supplementation with gender-specific multivitamin and herbal supplements. METHOD:Participants were healthy individuals, free from heart disease, and included 160 females aged ≥ 50 and 79 males aged 50-65 years. Analyses of co-variance, correcting for baseline cardiovascular assessments, were used to determine the effects of supplementation on central cardiovascular measures including augmentation index, augmentation pressure and pulse pressure. Significance was set at p = 0.016. RESULTS:No effects of multivitamin supplementation were observed in either males or females (respectively) for central augmentation index (p = 0.841; p = 0.296), central augmentation pressure (p = 0.794; p = 0.442), and central pulse pressure (p = 0.078; p = 0.304). Similarly, there was no treatment effect observed for brachial systolic, diastolic or pulse pressures. CONCLUSION:Four months multivitamin supplementation does not appear to exert any benefit to measures of central blood pressure in healthy older people.

A number of randomised controlled trials have indicated that multivitamin/mineral supplementation for a period of 4 weeks or greater can enhance mood and cognition. To date, no studies have investigated whether a single multivitamin dose can benefit mental function in older adults. This study investigated the acute effects of a single multivitamin and mineral and herbal (MVMH) supplement versus placebo on self ratings of mood and the performance of an effortful computerised cognitive battery in a sample of 76 healthy women aged 50–75 years. Mood was assessed using the depression anxiety stress scale (DASS), state trait anxiety inventory–state anxiety scale and visual analogue scales (VAS). Mood was rated at 1 h post supplementation and again after the competition of the cognitive assessments at 2 h post supplementation. It was demonstrated that the MVMH supplement improved overall DASS mood ratings; however, the most prominent effects appeared to be a reduction in ratings of perceived mental stress. These findings were confirmed using visual analogue scales, with these measures also demonstrating MVMH-related increased ratings of calmness. There were no benefits of the MVMH to mood ratings of depression and performance was not enhanced on the cognitive battery. Supplementation with a single multivitamin, mineral and herbal supplement reduces stress several hours after intake in healthy older people.

The current study aimed to investigate the effects of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)‐rich and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)‐rich supplementations on cognitive performance and functional brain activation.

Objective There is a demonstrated association between poor mood and deficiency in several micronutrients. Multivitamin supplements contain a wide range of nutrients, suggesting that they may be effective in improving mood; however, few studies have investigated this potential in randomized, controlled trials. This study investigates the effects of a multivitamin, mineral, and herbal supplement on mood and stress in a group of healthy, older male volunteers. Methods In this randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial, fifty men, aged 50–69 years, supplemented for a period of 8 weeks with a multivitamin formulation that contained vitamins (at levels above recommended daily intakes), minerals, antioxidants, and herbal extracts, or a placebo. They completed a series of mood and stress questionnaires at baseline and post‐supplementation. Results Compared with placebo, there was a significant reduction in the overall score on a depression anxiety and stress scale and an improvement in alertness and general daily functioning in the multivitamin group. Conclusions Supplementation with a multivitamin, mineral and herbal formulation may be useful in improving alertness and reducing negative mood symptoms and may also improve feelings of general day‐to‐day well‐being. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

While cardiovascular and mood benefits of dietary omega-3 fatty acids such as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) are manifest, direct neurophysiological evidence of their effects on cortical activity is still limited. Hence we chose to examine the effects of two proprietary fish oil products with different EPA: DHA ratios (EPA-rich, high EPA: DHA; DHA-rich) on mental processing speed and visual evoked brain activity. We proposed that nonlinear multifocal visual evoked potentials (mfVEP) would be sensitive to any alteration of the neural function induced by omega-3 fatty acid supplementation, because the higher order kernel responses directly measure the degree of recovery of the neural system as a function of time following stimulation. Twenty-two healthy participants aged 18-34, with no known neurological or psychiatric disorder and not currently taking any nutritional supplementation, were recruited. A double-blind, crossover design was utilized, including a 30-day washout period, between two 30-day supplementation periods of the EPA-rich and DHA-rich diets (with order of diet randomized). Psychophysical choice reaction times and multi-focal nonlinear visual evoked potential (VEP) testing were performed at baseline (No Diet), and after each supplementation period. Following the EPA-rich supplementation, for stimulation at high luminance contrast, a significant reduction in the amplitude of the first slice of the second order VEP kernel response, previously related to activation in the magnocellular pathway, was observed. The correlations between the amplitude changes of short latency second and first order components were significantly different for the two supplementations. Significantly faster choice reaction times were observed psychophysically (compared with baseline performance) under the EPA-rich (but not DHA-rich) supplementation, while simple reaction times were not affected. The reduced nonlinearities observed under the EPA-rich diet suggest a mechanism involving more efficient neural recovery of magnocellular-like visual responses following cortical activation.