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A Randomized, Double-Blind Study Assessing Changes in Cognitive Function in Indian School Children Receiving a Combination of Bacopa monnieri and Micronutrient Supplementation vs. Placebo.

ABSTRACT: Several studies have indicated a chronic cognitive enhancing effect of Bacopa monnieri across different ages and cognitive impairment associated with vitamin and mineral deficiencies in children. Therefore, we investigated the effects of 4-month supplementation with a combination of B. monnieri extract and multiple micronutrients on cognitive functions in Indian school children aged 7-12 years. This was a randomized, double-blind, parallel design, single-center study in which 300 children were randomized to receive a beverage either fortified with B. monnieri and multiple micronutrients ("fortified") or a non-fortified isocaloric equivalent ("control") twice-daily for 4 months. Cognitive function was assessed by the Cambridge Neuropsychological Automated Test Battery (CANTAB) administered at baseline, Day 60 and Day 121. The primary endpoint was change in short-term memory (working memory) from baseline in subjects receiving "fortified" vs. "control" beverages after 4 months. Secondary endpoints included sustained attention, episodic memory, and executive function. The "fortified" beverage did not significantly improve short-term memory or any of the secondary outcomes tested relative to the "control" beverage. However, the spatial working memory "strategy" score showed significant improvement on Day 60 (difference between groups in change from baseline: -0.55; p < 0.05), but not on Day 121 due to the active intervention. Study products were well-tolerated. Reasons for these unexpected findings are discussed.

SUBMITTER: Mitra-Ganguli T

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5699204 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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A Randomized, Double-Blind Study Assessing Changes in Cognitive Function in Indian School Children Receiving a Combination of Bacopa monnieri and Micronutrient Supplementation vs. Placebo.

Mitra-Ganguli Tora T Kalita Soumik S Bhushan Sakshi S Stough Con C Kean James J Wang Nan N Sethi Vidhu V Khadilkar Anuradha A

Frontiers in pharmacology 20171117

Several studies have indicated a chronic cognitive enhancing effect of Bacopa monnieri across different ages and cognitive impairment associated with vitamin and mineral deficiencies in children. Therefore, we investigated the effects of 4-month supplementation with a combination of B. monnieri extract and multiple micronutrients on cognitive functions in Indian school children aged 7-12 years. This was a randomized, double-blind, parallel design, single-center study in which 300 c ...[more]

PMID: 29204115

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Project description:Bacopa monnieri (L) Wettst (common name, bacopa) is a medicinal plant used in Ayurveda, the traditional system of medicine of India, as a nootropic. It is considered to be a "medhya rasayana", an herb that sharpens the mind and the intellect. Bacopa is an important ingredient in many Ayurvedic herbal formulations designed to treat conditions such as memory loss, anxiety, poor cognition and loss of concentration. It has also been used in Ayurveda to treat inflammatory conditions such as arthritis. In modern biomedical studies, bacopa has been shown in animal models to inhibit the release of the pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-? and IL-6. However, less is known regarding the anti-inflammatory activity of Bacopa in the brain.The current study examines the ability of Bacopa to inhibit the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines from microglial cells, the immune cells of the brain that participate in inflammation in the CNS. The effect of Bacopa on signaling enzymes associated with CNS inflammatory pathways was also studied.Various extracts of Bacopa were prepared and examined in the N9 microglial cell line in order to determine if they inhibited the release of the proinflammatory cytokines TNF-? and IL-6. Extracts were also tested in cell free assays as inhibitors of caspase-1 and matrix metalloproteinase-3 (enzymes associated with inflammation) and caspase-3, which has been shown to cleave protein Tau, an early event in the development of Alzheimer's disease.The tea, infusion, and alkaloid extracts of bacopa, as well as Bacoside A significantly inhibited the release of TNF-? and IL-6 from activated N9 microglial cells in vitro. In addition, the tea, infusion, and alkaloid extracts of Bacopa effectively inhibited caspase 1 and 3, and matrix metalloproteinase-3 in the cell free assay.Bacopa inhibits the release of inflammatory cytokines from microglial cells and inhibits enzymes associated with inflammation in the brain. Thus, Bacopa can limit inflammation in the CNS, and offers a promising source of novel therapeutics for the treatment of many CNS disorders.

Project description:Aerobic fitness has been shown to have several beneficial effects on child health. However, research on its relationship with academic performance has been limited, particularly in developing countries and among undernourished populations. This study examined the association between aerobic fitness and academic achievement in clinically healthy but nutritionally compromised Indian school-aged children and assessed whether micronutrient status affects this association. 273 participants, aged 7 to 10.5 years, were enrolled from three primary schools in Bangalore, India. Data on participants' aerobic fitness (20-m shuttle test), demographics, anthropometry, diet, physical activity, and micronutrient status were abstracted. School-wide exam scores in mathematics and Kannada language served as indicators of academic performance and were standardized by grade level. The strength of the fitness/achievement association was analyzed using Spearman's rank correlation, multiple variable logistic regression, and multi-level models. Significant positive correlations between aerobic capacity (VO2 peak) and academic scores in math and Kannada were observed (P < 0.05). After standardizing scores across grade levels and adjusting for school, gender, socioeconomic status, and weight status (BMI Z-score), children with greater aerobic capacities (mL * kg(-1) * min(-1)) had greater odds of scoring above average on math and Kannada exams (OR=1.08, 95% CI: 1.02 to 1.15 and OR=1.11, 95% CI: 1.04 to 1.18, respectively). This association remained significant after adjusting for micronutrient deficiencies. These findings provide preliminary evidence of a fitness/achievement association in Indian children. While the mechanisms by which aerobic fitness may be linked to academic achievement require further investigation, the results suggest that educators and policymakers should consider the adequacy of opportunities for physical activity and fitness in schools for both their physical and potential academic benefits.

Dataset Information

A Randomized, Double-Blind Study Assessing Changes in Cognitive Function in Indian School Children Receiving a Combination of Bacopa monnieri and Micronutrient Supplementation vs. Placebo.

Publications

A Randomized, Double-Blind Study Assessing Changes in Cognitive Function in Indian School Children Receiving a Combination of <i>Bacopa monnieri</i> and Micronutrient Supplementation vs. Placebo.

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