Sugar rush or sugar crash?:A meta-analysis of carbohydrate effects on mood

The effect of carbohydrate (CHO) consumption on mood is at the center of a long-standing debate, with researchers reporting both mood improvements and decrements following CHO ingestion. As global consumption of sugar-sweetened products has sharply increased in recent years, examining the validity of claims of an association between CHOs and mood is of high importance. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the relationship between acute CHO ingestion and mood. We examined the time-course of CHO-mood interactions and considered the role of moderator variables potentially affecting the CHO-mood relationship. Analysis of 176 effect sizes (31 studies, 1259 participants) revealed no positive effect of CHOs on any aspect of mood at any time-point following their consumption. However, CHO administration was associated with higher levels of fatigue and less alertness compared with placebo within the first hour post-ingestion. These findings challenge the idea that CHOs can improve mood, and might be used to increase the public’s awareness of the myth of the ‘sugar rush’, inform health policies to decrease sugar consumption, and promote healthier alternatives

A call for responsible innovation in mobile mental health:findings from a content analysis and ethical review of the depression app marketplace

Mobile mental health presents many ethical challenges in the wild. These ethical issues and associated values were explored through a content analysis and ethical review of the depression app marketplace. App search and data collection was performed in Google Play Store (UK) and Apple iTunes (UK) between October to November 2018. Iterative data extraction and coding of ethical variables and values were conducted prior to synthetization of issues and themes. Search found 353 unique apps for depression. Analysis uncovered a range of ethical issues including: limited evidence of intervention validity, fidelity, and outcomes; insufficient safeguarding and duty of care; non-multisector development teams; lack of independent certification and regulation; lack of information and transparency for informed user choices; and concerns with privacy, confidentiality, and user permissions. These findings highlighted the presence and absence of ethical values in apps for depression, with most apps failing to reflect many key values. Our findings suggest a need for greater ethical value sensitive design in mobile mental health. This is challenging given the field’s multidisciplinarity and value conflicts. We encourage designers to adopt a responsible innovation approach to creating technologies that meet these ethical demands

A systemic ethical framework for mobile mental health:From design to implementation

The burgeoning field of mobile mental health has brought increased awareness of the need for greater ethical and regulatory frameworks to guide the design, use, and implementation of innovative interventions for vulnerable populations. Mental healthcare has long been guided and regulated by ethical principles and codes of conduct aimed at ensuring standards of practice, professional behaviour, and good and fair delivery of care. Key ethical concepts, such as safety, privacy, and competency, form an integral part of the language and behaviours of mental health practitioners. These issues pervade mobile mental health in much of the same way as traditional mental healthcare. Yet, the multidisciplinary nature of mobile mental health demands a broader conceptualisation and application of these ideas. At its most basic level, mobile mental health unites the fields of mental health, computer science, and human computer interaction. Each of these unique disciplines has its own ethical considerations and standards. There is need for greater integration of all disciplines and a more unified approach to understanding these shared and unique ethical concepts. Without a holistic approach to these critical matters, we risk the development and implementation of mobile mental health which falls short of accepted standards and which pose potential risks to individuals and society. The present research seeks to address this challenge with the development of a systemic ethical framework for mobile mental health. Guided by preliminary review of literature, we conceptualised a systems-based framework capturing the interrelation of pertinent ethical concepts across various disciplines and stakeholder groups, from the fundamental unit of the individual user to practitioners, developers, health agencies, and governance

The Effects of Carbohydrates, in Isolation and Combined with Caffeine, on Cognitive Performance and Mood - Current Evidence and Future Directions

This review examines the effects of carbohydrates, delivered individually and in combination with caffeine, on a range of cognitive domains and subjective mood. There is evidence for beneficial effects of glucose at a dose of 25 g on episodic memory, but exploration of dose effects has not been systematic and the effects on other cognitive domains is not known. Factors contributing to the differential sensitivity to glucose facilitation include age, task difficulty/demand, task domain, and glucoregulatory control. There is modest evidence to suggest modulating glycemic response may impact cognitive function. The evidence presented in this review identifies dose ranges of glucose and caffeine which improve cognition, but fails to find convincing consistent synergistic effects of combining caffeine and glucose. Whilst combining glucose and caffeine has been shown to facilitate cognitive performance and mood compared to placebo or glucose alone, the relative contribution of caffeine and glucose to the observed effects is difficult to ascertain, due to the paucity of studies that have appropriately compared the effects of these ingredients combined and in isolation. This review identifies a number of methodological challenges which need to be considered in the design of future hypothesis driven research in this area

A content analysis and ethical review of mobile applications for depression:Exploring the app marketplace

BACKGROUND Research investigating commercial mobile applications for depression have shown a range of concerns from limited research evidence, poor treatment fidelity, and issues with privacy and data security. This study advances this work through a content analysis and ethical review of app store listings of apps for depression. Whilst past content analyses and app reviews have highlighted some ethical and safety concerns, there has been no focussed ethical review to consider how these issues may present to potential users who seek to find help and support through the app stores. METHODS We conducted search of the Google Play Store and Apple iOS App Store in October and November 2018. Apps were included in the review if their description mentioned use for depression. Apps were reviewed for treatment information and ethical issues. RESULTS We identified 353 eligible depression apps. Treatment approach varied across apps, with 24 different treatment approaches being described by developers. Treatment strategies also varied, with 34 different strategies being listed. The review showed the use of several non-evidence-based approaches and strategies. Also evident was the continued lack of research evidence for most apps (314/353) and a general lack of transparency in the information provided to potential users. These ethical issues were further explored within the framework of psychological ethical principles, with the review highlighting issues in areas of beneficence/nonmaleficence, fidelity and responsibility, integrity, justice, and respect of person’s rights and dignity. DISCUSSION Despite advances in mobile mental health, commercial mental health apps continue to trail in evidence and practice. There is need for greater research into the efficacy and outcomes of treatment strategies and combinations of approaches. There is also great need for increased transparency of information to help users to make informed and safe choices. Many of the ethical issues discussed can be addressed by presenting potential users with clear and accurate information

Metabolic Agents that Enhance ATP can Improve Cognitive Functioning: A Review of the Evidence for Glucose, Oxygen, Pyruvate, Creatine, and L-Carnitine

Over the past four or five decades, there has been increasing interest in the neurochemical regulation of cognition. This field received considerable attention in the 1980s, with the identification of possible cognition enhancing agents or “smart drugs”. Even though many of the optimistic claims for some agents have proven premature, evidence suggests that several metabolic agents may prove to be effective in improving and preserving cognitive performance and may lead to better cognitive aging through the lifespan. Aging is characterized by a progressive deterioration in physiological functions and metabolic processes. There are a number of agents with the potential to improve metabolic activity. Research is now beginning to identify these various agents and delineate their potential usefulness for improving cognition in health and disease. This review provides a brief overview of the metabolic agents glucose, oxygen, pyruvate, creatine, and L-carnitine and their beneficial effects on cognitive function. These agents are directly responsible for generating ATP (adenosine triphosphate) the main cellular currency of energy. The brain is the most metabolically active organ in the body and as such is particularly vulnerable to disruption of energy resources. Therefore interventions that sustain adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels may have importance for improving neuronal dysfunction and loss. Moreover, recently, it has been observed that environmental conditions and diet can affect transgenerational gene expression via epigenetic mechanisms. Metabolic agents might play a role in regulation of nutritional epigenetic effects. In summary, the reviewed metabolic agents represent a promising strategy for improving cognitive function and possibly slowing or preventing cognitive decline

Improved working memory performance following administration of a single dose of American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius L.) to healthy middle-age adults

Objective: A ginsenoside-rich extract of American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius L.), CereboostTM, was previously shown to improve working memory and mood in healthy young individuals. The present study represented a partial replication investigating whether these effects extended to healthy middle-aged individuals. Methods: Fifty-two healthy volunteers (40–60 years old, mean age 51.63) received 200 mg of P. quinquefolius or a matching placebo according to a double-blind, placebo-controlled, balanced, crossover design. The Cognitive Drug Research battery and the Computerised Mental Performance Assessment System were used to evaluate cognitive performance at baseline then 1, 3 and 6 h following treatment. Blood glucose and mood were co-monitored. Results: Compared with placebo, P. quinquefolius improved cognitive performance on ‘Working Memory’ factor at 3 h. Similar effects were observed in one of the two tasks making up this factor, spatial working memory. There were no significant effects on mood or blood glucose levels. Conclusions: These data confirm that P. quinquefolius can acutely benefit working memory and extend the age range of this effect to middle-aged individuals. These changes are unlikely to be underpinned by modulation of blood glucose in this population

Last in, first out:brain economy in times of limited resources

It has been argued that cognitive abilities that developed last ontogenetically are likely the first to become impaired when cognitive and/or physiological resources are compromised. In phylogeny as in ontogeny, the prefrontal cortex is a late developing region of the cortex. Late maturing areas of the dorso-lateral prefrontal cortex are primarily involved in higher executive functions. One crucial function of executive control is to enable self-control, i.e. the ability to inhibit automatic or habitual responses. Self-control requires effort and completing two successive self-control tasks, typically, produces a temporary drop in performance in the second task. It has been suggested that self-control requires an extensive amount of energy and when this energy is depleted, later self-control ability is adversely affected. In this talk, a series of experiments exploring the relationship between glucose availability and self-control performance using a neuro-cognitive approach will be presented. The data suggest that although frontal cortical areas are susceptible to limitations in fuel supply, level of motivation to perform a task can moderate the effect of impaired self-control performance following prior exertion. The results suggest that allocation of resources to limited-capacity systems is moderated by motivational factors. Putative underlying mechanisms regulating allocation of resources will be discussed