Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38268830›Full record

ArticleHeliyon2024

The effects of dark chocolate on cognitive performance during cognitively demanding tasks: A randomized, single-blinded, crossover, dose-comparison study.

Akihiro Sasaki, Kei Mizuno, Yusuke Morito, Chisato Oba, Kentaro Nakamura, Midori Natsume, Kyosuke Watanabe, Emi Yamano, Yasuyoshi Watanabe

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Heliyon, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
1.8field-weighted citation impact, top 18% 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

1 citing paper in PubMed, 6 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Trial
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

9 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Akihiro SasakiLaboratory for Pathophysiological and Health Science, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Kobe, Japan.
Kei MizunoLaboratory for Pathophysiological and Health Science, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Kobe, Japan.
Yusuke MoritoRIKEN Compass to Healthy Life Research Complex Program, Kobe, Japan.
Chisato ObaFood Microbiology Research Laboratories, R&D Division, Meiji Co., Ltd., Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan.
Kentaro NakamuraFood Microbiology Research Laboratories, R&D Division, Meiji Co., Ltd., Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan.
Midori NatsumeFood Microbiology Research Laboratories, R&D Division, Meiji Co., Ltd., Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan.
Kyosuke WatanabeLaboratory for Pathophysiological and Health Science, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Kobe, Japan.
Emi YamanoLaboratory for Pathophysiological and Health Science, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Kobe, Japan.
Yasuyoshi WatanabeLaboratory for Pathophysiological and Health Science, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Kobe, Japan.
RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research · JPMeiji (Japan) · JP

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Dark chocolate, rich in polyphenols, increases cerebral blood flow and improves cognitive function. This study aimed to determine whether the consumption of chocolate with a high concentration of polyphenols helps to maintain cognitive performance during cognitively demanding tasks. In this randomized, single-blinded, crossover, dose-comparison study, 18 middle-aged adults consumed two types of chocolate (25 g each), one with a high concentration (635.0 mg) and the other with a low concentration (211.7 mg) of cacao polyphenols, and performed a cognitive task requiring response inhibition and selective attention over two time periods (15-30 min and 40-55 min after consumption, respectively). Autonomic nerve function and subjective feelings, such as fatigue and concentration, were measured before food intake and after the second task to assess the participant's state. The results showed that the average reaction time between the first and second sessions was not significantly different for either high- or low-concentration chocolate consumption. However, the percentage of correct responses was similar in the first (96.7 %) and second (96.8 %) sessions for high-concentration chocolate consumption and significantly lower for low-concentration chocolate consumption in the second (96.4 %) session than in the first session (97.3 %). Autonomic nerve function showed a significant increase in sympathetic nerve activity after the second task with high-concentration chocolate consumption, while subjective feelings showed an increase in mental fatigue for both chocolate types but a significant decrease in concentration only after the second task with low-concentration chocolate consumption. These findings suggest that dark chocolate consumption contributes to the maintenance of performance and concentration in continuous and demanding cognitive tasks.

Indexed as

Cacao polyphenolsChocolateCognitive functionConcentrationFatigue

Identifiers

PMID38268830
PMCPMC10803911
OpenAlexW4390742293

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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.