Affect, Executive Function, Mood
Conditions
Keywords
Blueberry, Anthocyanins
Brief summary
This study aims to investigate whether consuming a drink containing powdered blueberries (equivalent to 150 g of fresh fruit) can improve mood and executive function in healthy emerging adults.
Detailed description
The present study will examine the psychological effects of a single dose of freeze-dried wild blueberries using a randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled design. A total of 80 participants will be randomly allocated to consume either a drink prepared with 22 g blueberry powder or a drink prepared with 22 g placebo powder matched for macronutrients, flavour and colour.
Interventions
DIETARY_SUPPLEMENTBlueberry drink
22 g freeze-dried wild blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium) powder mixed with 250 ml water.
DIETARY_SUPPLEMENTPlacebo drink
22 g placebo powder matched for macronutrients, color, and flavor mixed with 250 ml water.
Sponsors
Wild Blueberry Association of North America
University of Reading
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
DOUBLE (Subject, Outcomes Assessor)
Intervention model description
Standard two-arm trial with a placebo arm and active intervention arm
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 25 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* 18 to 25 years of age
Exclusion criteria
* Any medically significant condition or mental health disorder (e.g. diabetes, endocrine or gastrointestinal disorders) * Taking medication (excluding hormonal contraception or medication for asthma/seasonal allergies) * Allergy to blueberries or any other Vaccinium species
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Positive affect as measured by PANAS-X | 1.5 hours post-ingestion | Positive affect will be calculated by adding the values of the 21 positive items of the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule-X and the additional item motivated. Thus, the scale will range from 0 to 88 points with higher scores indicating better mood. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Reaction time | 1.5 hours post-ingestion | The average reaction time on correct trials of the task-switching test (in milliseconds). |
| Negative affect as measured by PANAS-X | 1.5 hours post-ingestion | Negative affect will be calculated by adding the values of the 25 negative items of the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule-X. Thus, the scale will range from 0 to 100 points with higher scores indicating worse mood. |
| Executive function (accuracy) | 1.5 hours post-ingestion | A task-switching test will be used to assess cognitive flexibility when switching between two predictable tasks requiring simple numerical decisions. The main outcome of interest is the average accuracy (0 to 100%). |
Countries
United Kingdom
Contacts
Primary ContactClaire Williams, Professor
Outcome results
None listed