title: The effect of a single dose of multivitamin and mineral combinations with and without guaraná on functional brain activity during a continuous performance task.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Relatively few studies have explored the possibility of acute cognitive effects of multivitamin ingestion. This report explores the acute brain electrophysiological changes associated with multivitamin and mineral supplementation, with and without guaraná, using the steady-state visually evoked potential (SSVEP).
  
  
  METHODS
  Based on the known SSVEP correlates of A-X continuous performance task (CPT) performance, and sensitivity to acute psychopharmacological manipulations, the A-X CPT was adopted as a task paradigm to explore treatment-related neurophysiological changes in attentional processing. Twenty healthy non-smoking adults aged 21-39 years (mean age = 28.35 years, SD = 5.52) took part in this double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized, balanced crossover design study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study demonstrated both transient and tonic changes in the SSVEP response during completion of the A-X CPT following multivitamin and mineral treatment both with and without guaraná. Transient changes in SSVEP response in prefrontal regions were observed after a single dose of a multivitamin and mineral preparation indicative of enhanced activity within brain regions engaged by the attentional demands of the task. This pattern of change in frontal regions was correlated with improved behavioural performance after treatment with the multivitamin and mineral combination. Where tonic shifts in SSVEP response were investigated, multivitamin and mineral treatment was associated with a pattern of increased inhibition across posterior regions, with enhanced excitatory processing in prefrontal regions. In contrast, multivitamin and mineral treatment with additional guaraná showed a tonic shift towards greater excitatory processes after a single treatment, consistent with the caffeine content of this treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  While preliminary in nature, these findings suggest a single multivitamin/mineral dose is sufficient to impact on functional brain activity in task-related brain regions.
authors.affiliation: a Centre for Human Psychopharmacology, Swinburne University , Melbourne , Australia.
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: White
authors.affiliation: a Centre for Human Psychopharmacology, Swinburne University , Melbourne , Australia.|b School of Psychology & Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong , Wollongong , Australia.
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Camfield
authors.affiliation: c Bayer Consumer Care Ltd. , Basel , Switzerland.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Maggini
authors.affiliation: a Centre for Human Psychopharmacology, Swinburne University , Melbourne , Australia.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pipingas
authors.affiliation: a Centre for Human Psychopharmacology, Swinburne University , Melbourne , Australia.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Silberstein
authors.affiliation: a Centre for Human Psychopharmacology, Swinburne University , Melbourne , Australia.
authors.forename: Con
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stough
authors.affiliation: a Centre for Human Psychopharmacology, Swinburne University , Melbourne , Australia.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Scholey
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology*; D002110:Caffeine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002136:Calcium, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003071:Cognition; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005074:Evoked Potentials, Visual; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D059907:Functional Neuroimaging; D006801:Humans; D008274:Magnesium / Q000008:administration & dosage; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D058573:Performance-Enhancing Substances / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D013805:Theobromine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D013806:Theophylline / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D014815:Vitamins / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D055815:Young Adult; D015032:Zinc / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D002136:Calcium, Dietary; D058573:Performance-Enhancing Substances; D014815:Vitamins; C092099:guarana powder; D002110:Caffeine; D013806:Theophylline; D008274:Magnesium; D015032:Zinc; D013805:Theobromine
keywords: Acute effects; Attention; Continuous performance test; Guaraná; Multivitamin; Neuroimaging; Steady-state visually evoked potential (SSVEP)