Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Aspartame: effects on learning, behavior, and mood.

S Saravis1, R Schachar, S Zlotkin

  • 1Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Pediatrics
|July 1, 1990
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Investigating heterogeneity across autism, ADHD, and typical development using measures of cortical thickness, surface area, cortical/subcortical volume, and structural covariance.

Frontiers in child and adolescent psychiatry·2025
Same author

A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials of substituting soymilk for cow's milk and intermediate cardiometabolic outcomes: understanding the impact of dairy alternatives in the transition to plant-based diets on cardiometabolic health.

BMC medicine·2024
Same author

Alirocumab efficacy and safety by body mass index: A pooled analysis from 10 Phase 3 ODYSSEY trials.

Diabetes & metabolism·2019
Same author

Glycaemic target attainment in people with Type 2 diabetes treated with insulin glargine/lixisenatide fixed-ratio combination: a post hoc analysis of the LixiLan-O and LixiLan-L trials.

Diabetic medicine : a journal of the British Diabetic Association·2019
Same author

Alirocumab safety in people with and without diabetes mellitus: pooled data from 14 ODYSSEY trials.

Diabetic medicine : a journal of the British Diabetic Association·2018
Same author

Effect of milk protein intake and casein-to-whey ratio in breakfast meals on postprandial glucose, satiety ratings, and subsequent meal intake.

Journal of dairy science·2018
Same journal

Severe Postoperative Hypernatremia in an Adolescent Following Sleeve Gastrectomy.

Pediatrics·2026
Same journal

Barriers to Implementing SMART for Asthma in Pediatric Primary Care.

Pediatrics·2026
Same journal

Blood Lead Testing Among Children Enrolled in Medicaid.

Pediatrics·2026
Same journal

From Screening to Support: Crafting Social Needs Response Systems That Work for Families.

Pediatrics·2026
Same journal

A Social Care Intervention in Pediatric Practices: A Stepped Wedge Cluster Trial.

Pediatrics·2026
Same journal

Pediatric Cheerleading-Related Head Injuries and the "Double Down" Rule Change.

Pediatrics·2026
See all related articles

Aspartame did not affect children's learning, mood, or behavior in studies. Sucrose, however, led to more motor behaviors than aspartame in healthy children.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Nutrition
  • Neuroscience
  • Behavioral Science

Background:

  • Artificial sweeteners like aspartame are widely consumed.
  • Concerns exist regarding their impact on children's cognitive function and behavior.
  • Understanding aspartame's effects is crucial for public health recommendations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effects of aspartame on learning, behavior, and mood in children.
  • To differentiate between aspartame's metabolic and neurochemical impacts.
  • To assess short-term behavioral responses in a controlled setting.

Main Methods:

  • Two double-blind crossover experiments involving 20 healthy 9- to 10-year-old children.
  • Experiment 1: Aspartame vs. sodium cyclamate/alanine in a carbohydrate base.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Experiment 2: Aspartame vs. sucrose in a non-caloric drink.

    • Main Results:

    • No significant effects of aspartame on learning, arithmetic, activity, social interaction, or mood in Experiment 1.
    • In Experiment 2, sucrose consumption resulted in more frequent minor and gross motor behaviors compared to aspartame.
    • Aspartame's effects on behavior appear linked to its lack of metabolic consequences.

    Conclusions:

    • Aspartame consumption does not appear to negatively impact short-term learning, mood, or behavior in healthy children.
    • Behavioral differences observed were related to the metabolic impact of sucrose, not aspartame's composition.
    • Further research may explore long-term effects and varied populations.