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The acute effects of glucose ingestion on attentional control in fasting healthy older adults

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Abstract

Rationale

Glucose enhancing effects have been observed in older adults mainly for episodic memory, but have been under-investigated for attentional functions, which are very sensitive to aging.

Objective

The present study examined the acute effects of glucose ingestion on different attentional tasks in fasting healthy older adults.

Methods

In a between-subjects design, 44 participants (60 years and older) were randomly assigned to a glucose (50 g) or saccharin (placebo) condition after 12 h of fasting. Participants were tested on neuropsychological tests of attention (trail A and B, modified Stroop) and on a computerized dual-task.

Results

Participants in the glucose group were faster than the placebo group to complete the switching condition of the modified Stroop test (p < 0.01) and showed a smaller dual-task cost in the divided attention task (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

Glucose ingestion appears to momentarily enhance attentional performances in seniors who have fasted for 12 h in tasks requiring switching and dividing attention.

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Notes

  1. Examination of RT differences between dual-mixed trials and single-mixed trials confirmed that most participants prioritized one task over another. Using the same dual-task paradigm, Schumacher and et al. (2001) defined perfect time sharing between two concurrent tasks as a difference in RTs between single-task trials performed in the mixed block and dual-task trials smaller than 100 ms after substantial practice. We adjusted the criterion to a 150 ms value because our participants were older adults and had not been previously trained on the tasks. This criterion was reached by 26 participants. For the others, determination of the prioritized task was based on the smallest difference between dual-mixed and single-mixed trials. On the prioritized task, mean RTs for dual-mixed trials (M = 1,349 ms) nearly reached the values of mean RTs on single-mixed trials (M = 1,230 ms). On the non-prioritized task, the mean RT for dual-mixed trials (M = 1,809 ms) was much larger than the mean RT for single-mixed trials (M = 1,267 ms).

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by a scientist fellowship from the Fonds de Recherche en santé du Québec to L.B and by a fellowship from the Canadian Institute of Health Research to C.G.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Université du Québec à Montréal, Case Postale 8888, Succursale, Centre-Ville, Montréal, Québec, H3C 3P8, Canada

    Christine Gagnon

  2. Centre de Recherche de l’Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal, 4565, chemin Queen Mary, Montréal, Québec, H3W 1W5, Canada

    Christine Gagnon & Louis Bherer

  3. Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto, FitzGerald Building, Room 430, 150 College Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 3E2, Canada

    Carol E. Greenwood

  4. Kunin-Lunenfeld Applied Research Unit, Baycrest, 3560 Bathurst Street, 740, Toronto, ON, M6A 2E1, Canada

    Carol E. Greenwood

  5. Université du Québec à Montréal, Centre de Recherche de l’Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada

    Louis Bherer

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  1. Christine Gagnon
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  2. Carol E. Greenwood
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Correspondence to Christine Gagnon.

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Gagnon, C., Greenwood, C.E. & Bherer, L. The acute effects of glucose ingestion on attentional control in fasting healthy older adults. Psychopharmacology 211, 337–346 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-010-1905-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-010-1905-9

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