Effect of Polyphenol-rich Cocoa Products on Cognitive Function

Launched by QUEEN MARGARET UNIVERSITY · Dec 14, 2016

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

Healthy cognitive ageing is an important aspect of the ageing process as it involves larger numbers of people compared to those who have already been diagnosed with conditions on the dementia spectrum (Deary et al, 2009). Hence, an active effort looking at potential lifestyle factor modification interventions to help maintain cognitive well-being are warranted.

With an ageing population, the prevalence of cognitive syndromes such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease increases (Vauzour, 2012). Nutritional interventions can play a role in successful ageing by helping to delay the o...

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Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Males \& Females aged 50-60years of age with normal or corrected to normal vision
• • BMI cut off points of ≥18.5 to ≤29.9 kg/m2
• • Waist circumference smaller than 102cm for males \& smaller than 88cm for women
• • Blood pressure of ≥ 90 over 60 and ≤ 120 over 80
• • MoCA test score ≥ 26
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Allergies to cocoa or any other ingredients commonly found in cocoa confectionary eg: milk, nuts, soya
• • Smoker
• • Women who are new or expecting mothers, maybe or are currently pregnant and/or breastfeeding
• • Taking medications for chronic conditions including (but not limited to) diabetes, heart disease, hypertension
• • No previous history of stroke, brain trauma and other head-related injuries
• • No diagnosis of depression and/or anxiety
• • No previous cancer diagnosis
• • Taking antibiotics
• • Taking steroids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS)
• • Women on Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
• • Taking medication that can cause drowsiness or affect cognitive functioning
• • Taking polyphenol supplements including (but not limited to) green tea extract, acai berry extract
• • Taking soy/a supplements
• • History of alcohol misuse
• • Fear of needles and/or fainting when blood is taken