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Completed

NCT Number: NCT05177978

The Cognitive Effects of 6- and 12-weeks Administration of a Food Supplement Containing Phosphatidylserine in Healthy Children Aged 8 to 12 Years

The purpose of this study is to assess the cognitive effects (attention, learning, and memory) of 6 and 12 weeks administration of a supplement containing phosphatidylserine in comparison to a placebo in healthy children aged 8 to 12 years old. The study will utilize Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT) and Computerised Mental Performance Assessment System (COMPASS, Northumbria University) for a broad assessment of cognitive function/learning, and actigraphy to monitor sleep.

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Key information

Conditions

Age range

8 year–12 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Brain, Performance, Nutrition Research Centre, Northumbria University

Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear, NE1 8ST, United Kingdom

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Participants must be in good health as reported by themselves and their parent/guardian.
  • Healthy children aged 8 to 12 years and enrolled in school years 4 to 7 at the time of giving consent
  • Have been speaking English at school since reception
  • Willingness of the children and parents to give their written informed consent, according to GCP and local regulations and being able to participate in all scheduled visits, intervention plans, tests and other trial procedures
  • Children with a normal sex and age-related BMI according to the local NHS guidelines (3rd to 90th percentiles)

Exclusion criteria

  • Relevant allergy or known hypersensitivity to one of the ingredients contained in the investigational drug.
  • Are currently taking any illicit, herbal or recreational drugs including alcohol and tobacco.
  • Taking any prescribed or OTC medication against chronic or non- chronic illnesses.
  • Have used dietary supplements within the last 4 weeks
  • Are diagnosed with ADHD, dyslexia or any neurodevelopmental disorder or learning difficulty.
  • Suffer from visual (including colour blindness) or hearing impairment (that may impact task performance in the opinion of the PI.
  • Have any serious illness, cognitive impairment or medical disorder that may confound with study results or interfere with compliance.
  • Have any other active or unstable medical condition, that, in the opinion of the PI, may adversely affect the participant's ability to complete the study
  • Are experiencing exceptional social/family stressors.
  • Consume more than one portion (>100g) per week of the following dietary sources high in phosphatidylserine: Oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, herring, tuna and eel. Animal internal organs such as liver, kidney, brain and heart. Note: Information on continued adherence to this criteria will be captured within treatment diary. If a child continuously consumes more than one portion per week of PS rich food the sponsor will be informed on a case by case basis. If deemed to be significant, they will be excluded, (but allowed to continue the study to the end (day 84)) and will be replaced.
  • Subjects that have followed specific diet, e.g. high protein diet, within 30 days prior to study start
  • Serious diet change, e.g. Ketogenic or vegan, within 30 days prior to study start.
  • Consumption of > 250 mg/day of caffeine.
  • Are unable to complete all of the study assessments
  • Are currently participating in other clinical or nutrition intervention studies, or have in the past 8 weeks
  • Are non-compliant with regards treatment consumption

Treatment and study plan

Phosphatidylserine

Dietary Supplement

Phosphatidylserine containing supplement (2 x chewable gummies/day; Total daily dose of 100 mg elemental phosphatidylserine)

Placebo

Dietary Supplement

Placebo comparator (2 x chewable gummies/day, matched to shape and color without active ingredient)

Primary outcomes

  1. COMPASS global performance measures

    Time frame: Following 12 weeks of intervention

    Speed of performance, and accuracy of performance measured by Computerised Mental Performance Assessment System (COMPASS, Northumbria University)

  2. Cognitive domain factor score

    Time frame: Following 12 weeks of intervention

    Speed of attention, accuracy of attention, speed of memory, accuracy of working memory, and accuracy of episodic memory measured by Computerised Mental Performance Assessment System (COMPASS, Northumbria University)

  3. Location Learning score

    Time frame: Following 12 weeks of intervention

    Learning index, displacement score, and delayed recall score, measured by Computerised Mental Performance Assessment System (COMPASS, Northumbria University)

  4. Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT)

    Time frame: Following 12 weeks of intervention

    Learning score, Immediate recall, delayed recall, and delayed recognition measured by the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test

Secondary outcomes

  1. COMPASS global performance measures

    Time frame: Following 6 weeks of intervention

    Speed of performance, and accuracy of performance measured by Computerised Mental Performance Assessment System (COMPASS, Northumbria University)

  2. Cognitive domain factor score

    Time frame: Following 6 weeks of intervention

    Speed of attention, accuracy of attention, speed of memory, accuracy of working memory, and accuracy of episodic memory measured by Computerised Mental Performance Assessment System (COMPASS, Northumbria University)

  3. Location Learning score

    Time frame: Following 6 weeks of intervention

    Learning index, displacement score, and delayed recall score, measured by Computerised Mental Performance Assessment System (COMPASS, Northumbria University)

  4. Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT)

    Time frame: Following 6 weeks of intervention

    Learning score, Immediate recall, delayed recall, and delayed recognition measured by the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test

  5. Individual cognitive task score

    Time frame: Following 6 and 12 weeks of intervention

    Individual tasks include the following: immediate word recall, simple reaction time, choice reaction time, 4 choice reaction time, arrows flankers, digit vigilance, rapid visual information processing, Stroop, Corsi blocks, numeric working memory, 2-back, delayed word recall, delayed picture recognition, and delayed word recognition measured by Computerised Mental Performance Assessment System (COMPASS, Northumbria University)

  6. Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ)

    Time frame: Following 6 and 12 weeks of intervention

    23 items questionnaire completed by the parent, with a 3-point scale where a higher score is indicative of more disturbed sleep.

  7. Children's Sleep self-report (SSR) questionnaire

    Time frame: Following 6 and 12 weeks of intervention

    26 items questionnaire completed by the child with a 3-point scale where a higher score is indicative of more disturbed sleep.

  8. Sleep measures

    Time frame: Following 12 weeks of intervention

    Sleep actigraphy device (measuring: sleep onset, total sleep time (TST), wake after sleep onset (WASO), awakenings, average awakening, efficiency) and sleep duration as reported in a sleep diary.

  9. Parent Visual Analogue Scales (VAS)

    Time frame: Following 6 and 12 weeks of intervention

    100 mm VAS in which the parent rates their child via the following parameters: Attention, performance at school, performance of schoolwork at home, happiness, and stress.

  10. Child mood Visual Analogue Scales (VAS)

    Time frame: Following 6 and 12 weeks of intervention

    100 mm VAS questionnaire in which the child rates their own mood via the following parameters: Relaxed, alert, jittery, tense, tired, headache, overall mood, mental fatigue, performance, happy/sad, and stress /calm

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Northumbria University

Other

Collaborators

  • International Flavors & Fragrances Inc.

Registry information

Official study title

The Chronic Cognitive Effects of 6- and 12-weeks Administration of a Food Supplement Containing Phosphatidylserine: A Double Blind, Randomized, Placebo Controlled, Parallel Groups Study in Healthy Children Aged 8 to 12 Years

Important dates

Study start
2020
Primary completion
2022
Study completion
2022
First posted
Jan 5, 2022
Registry last updated
Sep 28, 2022

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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