Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32951067›Full record

Trial reportPsychopharmacology2021

A specific dietary fibre supplementation improves cognitive performance-an exploratory randomised, placebo-controlled, crossover study.

Kirsten Berding, Caitriona M Long-Smith, Carina Carbia, Thomaz F S Bastiaanssen, Marcel van de Wouw, Niamh Wiley, Conall R Strain, Fiona Fouhy, Catherine Stanton, John F Cryan and 1 more

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in Psychopharmacology, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 47 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
47citing papers in PubMed, 3 pooled it
5.7field-weighted citation impact, top 3% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

47 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 83 citations in OpenAlex.

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  17. Microbiome: A Key Regulator of Body-Brain Interactions.Advances in experimental medicine and biology · 2025
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Kirsten BerdingAPC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
Caitriona M Long-SmithAPC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
Carina CarbiaAPC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
Thomaz F S BastiaanssenAPC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
Marcel van de WouwAPC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
Niamh WileyAPC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
Conall R StrainAPC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
Fiona FouhyAPC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
Catherine StantonAPC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
John F CryanAPC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland. j.cryan@ucc.ie.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5887-2723
Timothy G DinanAPC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
University College Cork · IETeagasc - The Irish Agriculture and Food Development Authority · IE

Funding

MyNewGut 613979Science Foundation Ireland 12/RC/2273
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

rationaleThe impact of the microbiota on the gut-brain axis is increasingly appreciated. A growing body of literature demonstrates that use of dietary fibre and prebiotics can manipulate the microbiota and affect host health. However, the influence on cognition and acute stress response is less well understood.

objectivesThe objective of this study was to investigate the efficacy of a dietary fibre, polydextrose (PDX), in improving cognitive performance and acute stress responses through manipulation of the gut microbiota in a healthy population.

methodsIn this double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, crossover design study, 18 healthy female participants received 12.5 g Litesse®Ultra (> 90% PDX polymer) or maltodextrin for 4 weeks. Cognitive performance, mood, acute stress responses, microbiota composition, and inflammatory markers were assessed pre- and post-intervention.

resultsPDX improved cognitive flexibility as evidenced by the decrease in the number of errors made in the Intra-Extra Dimensional Set Shift (IED) task. A better performance in sustained attention was observed through higher number of correct responses and rejections in the Rapid Visual Information Processing (RVP) task. Although there was no change in microbial diversity, abundance of Ruminiclostridium 5 significantly increased after PDX supplementation compared with placebo. PDX supplementation attenuated the increase of adhesion receptor CD62L on classical monocytes observed in the placebo group.

conclusionsSupplementation with the PDX resulted in a modest improvement in cognitive performance. The results indicate that PDX could benefit gut-to-brain communication and modulate behavioural responses.

Indexed as

AdultCognitionCross-Over StudiesDietary FiberDouble-Blind MethodFemaleGastrointestinal MicrobiomeGlucansHumansMalePrebioticsStress, PsychologicalTreatment OutcomeDietary FiberGlucanspolydextrosePrebioticsCognitionDietary fibreInflammationMicrobiotaPolydextrosePrebioticShort-chain fatty acidsStress

Identifiers

PMID32951067
OpenAlexW3087491943

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.