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- Creators: Johnston, Carol
- Resource Type: Text
Description
Ketone bodies are produced in the liver from the acetyl CoA derived from fatty acids that cannot enter the Krebs cycle. This is a sub-analysis of a larger study which had numerous outcome markers. This analysis focuses on the relationship between ketone blood levels and cognition. The study looked at the relationship between Time Restricted Feeding (TRF), a method of intermittent fasting. TRF is something that can be easily adapted into an individual’s lifestyle and has been shown to have multiple advantages. This 8-week study began with 23 enrolled participants, but due to COVID-19 only 11 participants could be tested for cognition and blood ketone levels after week 4. All participants had similar ranges of weight, height, age, BMI, hip, and waist measurements at baseline. Moreover, these demographic variables were not related to ketone levels or cognition. The data indicate that ketone bodies increased in participants practicing TRF and that the increase in ketone bodies in the blood, specifically β-hydroxybutyrate was strongly correlated to increased cognitive function. This is consistent with theories that elevated ketone levels allowed for early hunter-gather communities and other mammals to survive prolonged periods of nutrient deprivation while keeping high cognitive function.
ContributorsTaha, Basel Mahmoud (Author) / Johnston, Carol (Thesis director) / Karen, Sweazea (Committee member) / School of Molecular Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
It is widely documented and accepted that athletes have difficulty maintaining adequate hydration status and that dehydration is a key risk factor for the heat-related illnesses commonly observed among athletes. Research has also suggested that hydration status can influence cognitive performance. Educational interventions focused on rehydration strategies have had minimal success reducing dehydration rates; hence, alternative interventions promoting adequate hydration status in athletes should be explored. This trial examined the efficacy of a commercial hydration mobile application (app) for reducing dehydration rates in campus athletes. Fifty-eight college students aged 18-40 y, who participated in club-level collegiate athletics were recruited from a large Southwestern university and randomized by team to one of two study arms, the Standard of Care – Education (EDU) or the hydration mobile app (APP), to determine if app technology improved hydration status as compared to traditional education messaging. Twenty-three (79%) in the EDU group and twenty (69%) in the APP group were mildly-dehydrated at baseline based on the three-day averages of hydration assessment (USG 1.010). Moreover, 31% (n=9) and 28% (n=8) of the EDU and APP groups, respectively, were dehydrated (USG 1.020). No significant differences were found between the EDU and APP groups following the intervention. Three-day average post-intervention USG testing showed 76% (n=22) and 72% (n=21) of the EDU and APP groups respectively were at best mildly-dehydrated. Additionally, 28% (n=8) and 17% (n=5) were considered dehydrated. Neither intervention improved hydration status after four weeks of treatment. Further analyses of cognitive measures were conducted by hydration assessment groups at baseline and post-intervention: hydrated (HYD) (USG < 1.020) or dehydrated (DEH) (USG 1.020). No significant differences between hydration status were found between intervention groups. Additionally, no significant improvements were seen for either group, which indicates there is still a need for a novel way to improve hydration status in this population. Multi-dimensional interventions and individualized interventions to improve hydration status in this at-risk population may be more effective. Additional research should be conducted to determine if there is any cognitive performance enhancement associated with dehydration or mild-dehydration by reassessing previous data and conducting future trials.
ContributorsZemek, Kate A (Author) / Johnston, Carol (Thesis advisor) / Hekler, Eric (Committee member) / Mayol-Kreiser, Sandra (Committee member) / Ransdell, Lynda (Committee member) / Swan, Pamela (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2017
Description
The relevance of depression in the clinical realm is well known, as it is one of the most common mental disorders in the United States. Clinical depression is the leading cause of disease for women worldwide. The sex difference in depression and anxiety has guided the research of not just recent studies but older studies as well, supporting the theory that gonadal hormones are associated with the mechanisms of emotional cognition. The scientific literature points towards a clear correlative relationship between gonadal hormones, especially estrogens, and emotion regulation. This thesis investigates the neural pathways that have been indicated to regulate mood and anxiety. Currently, the research points to the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, which regulates the stress response through its ultimate secretion of cortisol through the adrenal cortex, and its modulated response when exposed to higher levels of estrogen. Another mechanism that has been investigated is the interaction of estrogen and the serotonergic system, which is noteworthy because the serotonergic system is known for its importance in mood regulation. However, it is important to note that the research seeking to determine the neurobiological underpinnings of estrogen and the serotonergic system is not expansive. Future research should focus on determining the direct relationship between cortisol hypersecretion and estrogens, the specific neurobiological effects of serotonergic receptor subtypes on the antidepressant actions of estrogens, and the simultaneous effects of the stress and serotonergic systems on depressive symptoms.
ContributorsArroyo, Mariana (Author) / Bimonte-Nelson, Heather (Thesis director) / Jurutka, Peter (Committee member) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / School of Social and Behavioral Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2021-05
Description
Fish oil has been extensively researched for its protective effects on cognition. More recently, anthocyanins have also gained the attention of the medical community for their potential cognitive benefits. Maqui berries are one of the richest sources of anthocyanins known to science. While there are many randomized controlled trials (RCT) investigating the effects of fish oil and/or anthocyanins on cognition in various populations, there are no RCT that exclusively investigate the cognitive effects of these compounds in adults with Type 2 Diabetes (DM2). The purpose of this double-blinded, placebo-controlled RCT was to investigate the cognitive effects of maqui berry extract and fish oil supplements in adults with DM2 over the course of eight weeks. Adults with DM2 (n=29) were recruited by the researchers and randomized to either Group A or Group B. Because the study is ongoing, it is unknown which group received the intervention. The study used the Stroop Test and Trail Making Test (TMT) to measure cognition at baseline, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks. Anthropometrics, blood glucose, and hemoglobin A1C were also taken at these time points. Sixteen female participants were included in the final analysis. Neither group showed significant improvements in the cognitive tests. However, in Group A, the effect sizes were large for the change in Trail-Making Test A (0.167), Trail Making Test B (0.261), and Trail Making Test B minus A (0.296) scores. In Group A, the change in Trail Making Test B minus A scores between baseline and week 4, and between baseline and week 8 was significant (p=0.053) and produced a large effect size (0.258). The results suggest that fish oil and maqui berry extract may improve cognition in adults with DM2, but further studies with larger sample sizes are needed.
ContributorsDeimeke, Allyson (Author) / Johnston, Carol (Thesis advisor) / Grant, Shauna (Committee member) / Sweazea, Karen (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023