Acute effect of energy boost dietary supplement on P3 waveform: double blind, placebo controlled study

Human cognition may be enhanced by energy drinks containing caffeine and/or other stimulants, which are thought to improve attentional as well as motor performance, and reduce reaction times. Due to the fact that literature shows that even low doses of caffeine may improve cognitive performance, we investigated an acute effect of a single dose of a caffeinated energy dietary supplement, on attention and motor responses by means of event related potentials. Healthy volunteers were examined in double blind, placebo controlled study. EEG recordings from 32 channels were performed in three sessions: before the supplementation (session 1), 30 min after the supplementation (session 2) and 90 min after the supplementation (session 3) in three tasks: visual P3, auditory P3, and motor task. Repeated measures ANOVA analysis showed reduced P3 amplitude increase after energy dietary supplementation (compared to placebo group) throughout all sessions (up to 90 min after consumption) in the visual task, and speeding the classification process observed as a decrease of P3 midpoint latency, but only 30 min after supplementation. The latter effect was present in both, but more pronounced in the visual task. Nonparametric cluster based permutation analysis showed one significant cluster in the placebo group from visual P3 task (approximately between 400 and 520 ms) over the centro‑parietal area, which was absent in the study group. Our results suggest that caffeinated energy dietary supplement containing only 55 mg of caffeine may enhance some attentional processes observed by changes in P3 features, but not in motor performance.