Glucose enchances long-term declarative memory in mildly head-injured varsity rugby players
Date
1997
Authors
Tutte, Jacqueline Adele
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Abstract
Cognitive deficits resulting from head injury have been likened to those experienced by elderly and Alzheimer' s patients, especially with respect to declarative memory. Recent findings indicate that oral administration of glucose enhances memory, particularly in individuals with memory deficits (e.g. in the elderly and in people with Alzheimer's disease). Glucose enhancement of memory appears to be related to, and can perhaps be predicted by, an individual's ability to regulate glucose levels in their blood. The present investigation examined the degree to which cognitive deficits persist after mild head injuries (concussion) and if these deficits can be alleviated by glucose. Further, this study examined the relationship between blood-glucose regulation, mild head injuries, and the ability of glucose to enhance cognitive functions. Varsity rugby players, both with and without a history of head injury, were given glucose- or saccharin-sweetened beverages and then tested on a series of neuropsychological tests and had their blood-glucose levels monitored. Beverages and tests were administered in a counter-balanced, crossover design, enabling within-subject comparisons. Head-injured individuals were found to perform slightly worse than individuals with no history of head injury (controls) on the preliminary screening interview tests and tests of memory and divided attention given in the saccharin condition. In head-injured individuals, glucose enhanced performance on tests of long-term declarative memory and complex reaction time. In controls, glucose impaired performance on tests of long-term declarative memory but enhanced accuracy on a test of two-choice reaction time. The effects of glucose on memory appeared to be related to the subjects' glucose tolerance (ability to clear glucose from the blood).