Policosanol, Reaction Time and Event-Related Potentials

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to compare the results of a 1-week, double-blind placebo-controlled trial investigating the effects of isopolicosanol and octacosanol on reactivity and related brain activity. In particular, reaction time (RT) and event-related potentials such as contingent negative variations (CNV) and P300 (P3) have been studied. Thirty sedentary healthy students were tested before and after treatment (3.6 mg/die for 7 days) with orally administered tablets of placebo (group A), isopolicosanol (B) and octacosanol (C). RT were studied according to three procedures: simple RT (SRT), go/no-go RT (GRT) and choice RT (CRT). Results show that before treatment, there were no significant differences between groups A, B and C. After treatment, the RT of group A was unchanged, while the RT of groups B and C were reduced. In group B, in the SRT test, the reduction of RT was accompanied by electrical data exhibiting increased amplitudes of CNV and shorter latencies of P3. These results show that the main effect on reactivity and event-related potentials can be ascribed to policosanol and is mainly evident in the SRT test.

Cognitive and physiological effects of Omega‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation in healthy subjects

“…Hence, they may influence several pathways with different neurotransmitters such as serotonin, noradrenalin, dopamine and acetylcholine, which may explain the reported effects on learning, mood stability and other important cognitive functions [5,23,24,28]. In previous experiments, the team has described the modulation of event‐related potentials caused by training [42,43] or substances such as policosanol [51]. The effects of Omega‐3 fatty acids appear to be more limited but in the same direction, being effective only in Go/No‐Go paradigms, and increases amplitude in a test in which there is an important cortical intervention.…”

“…In previous experiments, the team has described the modulation of event-related potentials caused by training [42,43] or substances such as policosanol [51]. The effects of Omega-3 fatty acids appear to be more limited but in the same direction, being effective only in Go / No-Go paradigms, and increases amplitude in a test in which there is an important cortical intervention.…”