The effects of repeated administration of camphor-crataegus berry extract combination on blood pressure and on attentional performance - a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study.

The present study investigated the effects of repeated administration of Korodin(®), a combination of camphor and crataegus berry extract, on blood pressure and attentional functioning. This study was conducted based on a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind design. 54 persons participated (33 female, 21 male) with a mean age of 24.3 years. Blood pressure and body mass index were in the normal range. Participants received 20 drops of either Korodin(®) or a placebo for four times with interjacent time intervals of about 10 min. Blood pressure was measured sphygmomanometrically before and after each administration. Attentional performance was quantified by using two paper-and-pencil tests, the d2 Test of Attention and Digit Symbol Test. Greater increases in blood pressure occurred after the four Korodin(®) administrations in comparison to the four placebo administrations. The performance in two parameters of d2 Test of Attention was consistently superior after the intake of Korodin(®). The excellent tolerability and safety of Korodin(®), even after a total consumption of 80 drops, was confirmed.

Time-locked association between rapid cerebral blood flow modulation and attentional performance.

OBJECTIVE: The study investigated relationships between rapid cerebral hemodynamic modulation and attentional performance. Based on former results on complex cognitive functioning, a specific association between the first seconds of the hemodynamic response and performance was hypothesized. METHODS: Using transcranial Doppler sonography, blood flow velocities in the middle cerebral arteries of both hemispheres were recorded in 48 healthy subjects. The applied task comprised motor reactions on a visual stimulus which was preceded by an acoustic warning signal (interstimulus interval 5s). Task-induced hemodynamic changes were assessed second-by-second, and related to reaction time using analysis of variance and linear regression. RESULTS: A right dominant blood flow response was observed. Flow velocity increase in the middle fraction of the interstimulus interval, i.e. seconds 2 and 3 after the cuing signal, significantly correlated with reaction time. This was not the case for the very early and late components of the response. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest a time-locked association between cerebral blood flow increase and attentional performance. This is in accordance with neurophysiological studies that revealed the closest relationship between brain perfusion and cortical activity during a similar time window. SIGNIFICANCE: The study supports the assumption of a specific, relatively early time interval in which relationships between cerebral blood flow and behavior become apparent.

Symptom reporting in asthma patients and insulin-dependent diabetics.

In this paper, results from two studies are presented. (1) Sixty-eight diabetics registered their blood glucose levels both as estimated and as measured and they indicated the intensity of 20 symptoms on a symptom checklist. Data were assessed twice a day over a 30-day period. During this period, blood glucose levels decreased slightly, the accuracy of blood glucose estimation improved, and for about half of the subjects specific symptoms could be identified, which covaried closely with blood glucose levels over time. (2) Fifty-three asthmatic patients monitored their peak flow each morning and evening over a period of 30 days. Before measuring peak flow, the patients estimated their peak flow and indicated the intensity of 28 symptoms specific for asthma. For about half of the sample, symptoms were identifiable, which correlated highly with measured peak flow. A substantial increase in the accuracy of estimated peak flow could be observed over time.

A comparative investigation of ERP components and the SCR in a habituation and dishabituation paradigm.

The present experiment investigated the trial-by-trial habituation in the event-related potential (ERP) and the skin conductance response (SCR) to repeated stimuli and dishabituation to rare stimuli. In a balanced design, two groups of subjects passively observed either large black discs as repeated stimuli and small as rare, or vice versa. No consistent effects of stimulus size were obtained between the groups. Late positivity was composed of a double peak at Cz, containing contributions from P3a and P300; the latter only was observed at Pz. The SCR and P3a and P300 at Cz demonstrated habituation, but not the N100 or P200, nor the P300 at Pz. Rare stimuli elicited an enhancement, albeit nonsignificant, in SCR amplitude only. No dishabituation of any of the responses by these stimuli was observed. The SCR correlated significantly with late positivity at Cz and Pz. Discussion focuses on SCR and late positivity as OR components.