The Effect of Tablet Size on Cognitive Performance Caffeine

NCT ID: NCT03694886

Last Updated: 2019-04-17

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

PHASE4

Total Enrollment

120 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2018-10-31

Study Completion Date

2019-03-01

Brief Summary

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This study aims to assess if tablet size, due to placebo effect, alters participants' performance on cognitive tests after consuming caffeine. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of four groups: 1) 90 mg caffeine with a 1 mm diameter sucrose pillule; 2) no caffeine with the small sucrose pillule; 3) 90 mg caffeine with a 5 mm sucrose pillule; 4) no caffeine with the large sucrose pillule.

Detailed Description

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Background: A capsule's physical design (e.g. shape, size, and color) affects individuals' perception of drug efficacy; that is, how well a drug is likely to work. The goal of this study is to assess the effects tablet size may have on participant's performance on cognitive testing since research has found differences between preparation methods. Method: 120 participants will be randomly assigned to one of four groups: 1) 90 mg caffeine with a 1 mm diameter sucrose pillule; 2) no caffeine with the small sucrose pillule; 3) 90 mg caffeine with a 5 mm sucrose pillule; 4) no caffeine with the large sucrose pillule. Participants will consume the designated placebo tablet with water (caffeinated or non-caffeinated); then, participants will provide weekly caffeine intake and complete the neutral portion of Velten's Mood Induction Procedure until 30 minutes have passed to allow for caffeine activation. Participants will complete the Stroop test, Trial Making Tests A and B, and the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test. Previous literature, as far as the author knows, relied on evaluating drug efficacy based on appearance alone. This study aims to assess if tablet size, due to placebo effect, alters participants' performance on cognitive tests after consuming caffeine.

Conditions

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Placebo Effect

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Participants will be randomly assigned to one of four groups:

1\) 90 mg caffeine with a 1 mm diameter sucrose pillule; 2) no caffeine with the small sucrose pillule; 3) 90 mg caffeine with a 5 mm sucrose pillule; 4) no caffeine with the large sucrose pillule.
Primary Study Purpose

BASIC_SCIENCE

Blinding Strategy

SINGLE

Participants
Participants will not be made aware if they have or have not received caffeine to not bias results.

Study Groups

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Caffeine with small sucrose pill

Participants will be given one dose of 90 milligrams caffeine anhydrous dissolved in 8 ounces of water and a 1 mm sucrose pill to consume in 10 minutes. After 30 minutes post-administration, the cognitive tests will be administered.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Caffeine Anhydrous with small sucrose pill

Intervention Type DRUG

caffeine anhydrous that has been weighed out to 90 mg per dose presented with a 1 mm sucrose pillule

Caffeine with large sucrose pill

Participants will be given one dose of 90 milligrams caffeine anhydrous dissolved in 8 ounces of water and a 5 mm sucrose pill to consume in 10 minutes. After 30 minutes post-administration, the cognitive tests will be administered.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Caffeine Anhydrous with large sucrose pill

Intervention Type DRUG

caffeine anhydrous that has been weighed out to 90 mg per dose presented with a 5 mm sucrose pillule

No caffeine with small sucrose pill

Participants will be given 8 ounces of water and a 1 mm sucrose pill to consume in 10 minutes. After 30 minutes post-administration, the cognitive tests will be administered.

Group Type PLACEBO_COMPARATOR

Placebo - small sucrose pill

Intervention Type OTHER

sucrose pillules of 1 mm diameter will be given to all participants in the small pill groups

No caffeine with large sucrose pill

Participants will be given 8 ounces of water and a 1 mm sucrose pill to consume in 10 minutes. After 30 minutes post-administration, the cognitive tests will be administered.

Group Type PLACEBO_COMPARATOR

Placebo - large sucrose pill

Intervention Type OTHER

sucrose pillules of 5 mm diameter will be given to all participants in the large pill groups

Interventions

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Caffeine Anhydrous with small sucrose pill

caffeine anhydrous that has been weighed out to 90 mg per dose presented with a 1 mm sucrose pillule

Intervention Type DRUG

Placebo - large sucrose pill

sucrose pillules of 5 mm diameter will be given to all participants in the large pill groups

Intervention Type OTHER

Caffeine Anhydrous with large sucrose pill

caffeine anhydrous that has been weighed out to 90 mg per dose presented with a 5 mm sucrose pillule

Intervention Type DRUG

Placebo - small sucrose pill

sucrose pillules of 1 mm diameter will be given to all participants in the small pill groups

Intervention Type OTHER

Other Intervention Names

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pure caffeine powder sugar pill pure caffeine powder sugar pill

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Fluent in written and spoken English
* Ability to see color
* No uncontrolled high blood pressure
* No allergies to caffeine or sucrose
* No history of heart disease
* No untreated anxiety or depression
* Non-pregnant
* No caffeine consumed the day of participation

Exclusion Criteria

* Not fluent in written and/or spoken English
* Uncontrolled high blood pressure
* Color-blindness
* Allergies to caffeine and/or sucrose
* History of heart disease
* Untreated anxiety or depression
* Pregnant
* Consumed caffeine on the day of participation
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

40 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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University of Colorado, Denver

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

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Daniel Hernandez Altamirano

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Undergraduate honors student

Locations

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University of Colorado Denver

Denver, Colorado, United States

Site Status

Countries

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United States

References

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Beaumont R, Cordery P, Funnell M, Mears S, James L, Watson P. Chronic ingestion of a low dose of caffeine induces tolerance to the performance benefits of caffeine. J Sports Sci. 2017 Oct;35(19):1920-1927. doi: 10.1080/02640414.2016.1241421. Epub 2016 Oct 20.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 27762662 (View on PubMed)

Buckalew LW, Coffield KE. An investigation of drug expectancy as a function of capsule color and size and preparation form. J Clin Psychopharmacol. 1982 Aug;2(4):245-8.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 7119132 (View on PubMed)

Champlin SE, Pasch KE, Perry CL. Is the Consumption of Energy Drinks Associated With Academic Achievement Among College Students? J Prim Prev. 2016 Aug;37(4):345-59. doi: 10.1007/s10935-016-0437-4.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 27236788 (View on PubMed)

Cole JS. A survey of college-bound high school graduates regarding circadian preference, caffeine use, and academic performance. Sleep Breath. 2015 Mar;19(1):123-7. doi: 10.1007/s11325-014-0976-y. Epub 2014 May 1.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 24788599 (View on PubMed)

Czerniak E, Davidson M. Placebo, a historical perspective. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol. 2012 Nov;22(11):770-4. doi: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2012.04.003. Epub 2012 May 18.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 22608298 (View on PubMed)

Franzen MD, Tishelman AC, Sharp BH, Friedman AG. An investigation of the test-retest reliability of the Stroop Color-Word Test across two intervals. Arch Clin Neuropsychol. 1987;2(3):265-72.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 14589618 (View on PubMed)

Geuter S, Koban L, Wager TD. The Cognitive Neuroscience of Placebo Effects: Concepts, Predictions, and Physiology. Annu Rev Neurosci. 2017 Jul 25;40:167-188. doi: 10.1146/annurev-neuro-072116-031132. Epub 2017 Apr 7.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 28399689 (View on PubMed)

Hammond DC. A review of the history of hypnosis through the late 19th century. Am J Clin Hypn. 2013 Oct;56(2):174-91. doi: 10.1080/00029157.2013.826172.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 24665818 (View on PubMed)

Ibrahim IR, Ibrahim MI, Al-Haddad MS. The influence of consumers' preferences and perceptions of oral solid dosage forms on their treatment. Int J Clin Pharm. 2012 Oct;34(5):728-32. doi: 10.1007/s11096-012-9667-6. Epub 2012 Jun 29.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 22744843 (View on PubMed)

Kinirons MT, O'Mahony MS. Drug metabolism and ageing. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2004 May;57(5):540-4. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2125.2004.02096.x.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 15089805 (View on PubMed)

Lessard, M. D. (1993). Study of the Velten Mood Induction Procedure and the measurement of mood. Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers. 4973. https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/4973

Reference Type BACKGROUND

Magalhaes, S. d. S., Malloy-Diniz, L. F., & Hamdan, A. C. (2012). Validity convergent and reliability test-retest of the rey auditory verbal learning test. Clinical Neuropsychiatry: Journal of Treatments Evaluation, 9(3), 129.

Reference Type BACKGROUND

Nehlig A, Daval JL, Debry G. Caffeine and the central nervous system: mechanisms of action, biochemical, metabolic and psychostimulant effects. Brain Res Brain Res Rev. 1992 May-Aug;17(2):139-70. doi: 10.1016/0165-0173(92)90012-b.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 1356551 (View on PubMed)

Overgaard AB, Hojsted J, Hansen R, Moller-Sonnergaard J, Christrup LL. Patients' evaluation of shape, size and colour of solid dosage forms. Pharm World Sci. 2001 Oct;23(5):185-8. doi: 10.1023/a:1012050931018.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 11721676 (View on PubMed)

Pasman WJ, Boessen R, Donner Y, Clabbers N, Boorsma A. Effect of Caffeine on Attention and Alertness Measured in a Home-Setting, Using Web-Based Cognition Tests. JMIR Res Protoc. 2017 Sep 7;6(9):e169. doi: 10.2196/resprot.6727.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 28882811 (View on PubMed)

Pettit ML, DeBarr KA. Perceived stress, energy drink consumption, and academic performance among college students. J Am Coll Health. 2011;59(5):335-41. doi: 10.1080/07448481.2010.510163.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 21500050 (View on PubMed)

Ross, S., & Buckalew, L. W. (1979). On the agentry of placebos. American Psychologist, 34(3), 277-278. 10.1037/0003-066X.34.3.277

Reference Type BACKGROUND

Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to caffeine and increased fat oxidation leading to a reduction in body fat mass (ID 735, 1484), increased energy expenditure leading to a reduction in body weight (ID 1487), increased alert. (2011). EFSA Journal, 9(4), 2054. doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2011.2054

Reference Type BACKGROUND

Smith SR, Servesco AM, Edwards JW, Rahban R, Barazani S, Nowinski LA, Little JA, Blazer AL, Green JG. Exploring the validity of the comprehensive trail making test. Clin Neuropsychol. 2008 May;22(3):507-18. doi: 10.1080/13854040701399269. Epub 2007 Jun 18.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 17853128 (View on PubMed)

Provided Documents

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Document Type: Informed Consent Form

View Document

Document Type: Study Protocol and Statistical Analysis Plan

View Document

Other Identifiers

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18-1086

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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