Andrew Scholey

Monash University (Australia) · Department of Nutrition and Dietetics

Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is a prevalent, chronic mental health disorder. The measurement of regional brain gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) offers insight into its role in anxiety and is a potential biomarker for treatment response. Research literature suggests Piper methysticum (Kava) is efficacious as an anxiety treatment, but no study ha...

Kava is a South Pacific plant‐based medicine with anxiolytic properties, but little is known about the impact kava has on gene expression or whether gene expression can serve as a marker of kava response. This study aimed to determine whether kava treatment alters the expression of genes with physiological relevance to anxiety pathophysiology and w...

Citation: Young, L.M.; Gauci, S.; Arnoldy, L.; Martin, L.; Perry, N.; White, D.J.; Meyer, D.; Lassemillante, A.-C.; Ogden, E.; Silber, B.; et al.

Background: Homocysteine, a methionine metabolite, is a recognized risk factor for accelerated age-related cognitive decline and dementia. Objective: In the light of studies indicating increases in brain activity and brain functional connectivity in the early stages of age-related cognitive decline, we undertook a study to examine the relationsh...

The purpose of this study was to compare alcohol consumption between the heaviest drinking occasion in the period before the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) lockdown (15 January–14 March 2020) and the first COVID-19 lockdown period (15 March–11 May 2020) in the Netherlands, including the presence and severity of associated hangovers. The analys...

Background Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is a micronutrient imperative for many bodily functions, with research revealing its functional support of leukocytes. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to determine the effects of surgery on leukocyte vitamin C concentrations by assessing the amount and longevity of post-operative leukocyte vitamin C change...

The authors wish to make the following corrections to the original article [...]

Alcohol hangover (AH) has been associated with poor sleep due to the negative effects of alcohol intoxication on sleep quantity and sleep quality. The aim of the current study was to further explore the relationship between AH severity and sleep using a naturalistic study design. A further aim was to determine whether quantitative aspects of sleep...

Background: Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is the main long chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in the brain and accounts for 30% to 40% of fatty acids in the grey matter of the human cortex. Although the influence of circulating DHA levels on memory function is widely researched, its association with brain volumes is under investigated and its...

Background: Cognitive decline is influenced by various factors including diet, cardiovascular disease, and glucose control. However, the combined effect of these risk factors on cognitive performance is yet to be fully understood. Objective: The current study aimed to explore the inter-relationship between these risk factors and cognitive perfor...

Given the rise in worldwide chronic diseases, supplemented by an aging population, the volume of global major surgeries, encompassing cardiac and orthopedic procedures is anticipated to surge significantly. Surgical trauma can be accompanied by numerous postoperative complications and metabolic changes. The present review summarized the results fro...

The aim of this study was to explore the effects of the 2019 Coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdown on mood states, stress, alcohol consumption and perceived immune fitness in a Dutch sample. Analysis included a subsample from the “Corona Lockdown: how fit are you?” (CLOFIT) study, comprising N = 761 participants who reported consuming alcohol in 2020. Re...

Context Diet plays a critical role in cognitive integrity and decline in older adults. However, little is known about the relationship between diet and cognitive integrity in middle age. Objective To investigate the relationship between dietary patterns in healthy middle-aged adults and neurocognition both in middle age and later in life. Data So...

Background: Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is the main long chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in the brain and accounts for 30% to 40% of fatty acids in the grey matter of the human cortex. Although the influence of circulating DHA levels on memory function is widely researched, its association with brain volumes is under investigated and its a...

There is a growing body of scientific literature examining the effects of alcohol mixed with energy drink (AMED) on alcohol consumption and related negative consequences, such as risky behavior or negative health effects. It is unknown whether differences in cultural context may influence these AMED effects. The current cross-cultural study compare...

Background: Unexplained fatigue is a common complaint. When underlying disease causes have been eliminated, lifestyle measures and supplementation can be indicated. Elaborating on clinical findings that G115®, a dry extract from the root of Panax ginseng, combined with vitamins and minerals could alleviate fatigue, this open label study aimed at a...

Rationale and objective SJP-005 (ketotifen and ibuprofen) is being developed as a potential new treatment for opioid withdrawal. Three studies were conducted to evaluate the early phase (acute, day 1) and late phase (days 2–12) effects of SJP-005 on discontinuation-induced morphine withdrawal. Methods Sprague-Dawley rats received subcutaneous morp...

It is important that hangover products are both safe and effective. The aims of the current study were to evaluate (a) the ingredients of currently marketed hangover treatments, (b) whether companies make disease modification claims for these products, and (c) the extent and quality of any independent scientific evidence on their efficacy and safet...

The relationship between risk-taking behavior, alcohol consumption and negative alcohol-related consequences is well known. The current analyses were conducted to investigate whether alcohol mixed with energy drink (AMED) is related to risk-taking behavior and if there is a relationship between the amount of energy drink mixed with alcohol consumed...

Docosahexaenoic acid is the main long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in the brain and accounts for 30-40% of fatty acids in the grey matter of the human cortex. Although the influence of docosahexaenoic acid on memory function is widely researched, its association with brain volumes is under investigated and its association with spatial...

Purpose : Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading global cause of death. Strategies to reduce CVD risk are urgently needed. Polyphenols represent a class of bioactive compounds with potential to moderate biochemical risk factors for CVD (cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, and inflammation). This double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised...

Background: The effects of polyphenols on cognitive functions have been extensively studied. Due to the large heterogeneity in the study designs, however, it is often difficult to interpret their efficacy. To address this issue, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analyses to examine whether acute polyphenol intake may have a beneficial effec...

Aim: To investigate the relationship between age and hangover frequency and severity. Method: An online survey, generated through Facebook, collected self-report data relating to alcohol consumption from 761 Dutch alcohol consumers aged 18-94 years (61.6% female). Results: Overall, young individuals consumed more alcohol than older drinkers, a...

This study investigated immunological changes during an alcohol hangover, and the possible difference between hangover-resistant and hangover-sensitive drinkers in terms of immune reactivity. Using a semi-naturalistic design, N = 36 healthy social drinkers (18 to 30 years old) provided saliva samples on a control day (after drinking no alcohol) and...

The 2019 coronavirus infectious disease (COVID-19) is caused by infection with the new severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). Currently, the treatment options for COVID-19 are limited. The purpose of the experiments presented here was to investigate the effectiveness of ketotifen, naproxen and indomethacin, alone or in combinat...

Alcohol is the most frequently detected substance in drivers involved in road traffic collisions. Given that up to 35% of fatal road collisions are alcohol-related, it is important to determine the influence of alcohol intoxication on driving-related skills. This review provides an updated and systematic evaluation of the available research concern...

The 2010 Alcohol Hangover Research Group consensus paper defined a cutoff blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.11% as a toxicological threshold indicating that sufficient alcohol had been consumed to develop a hangover. The cutoff was based on previous research and applied mostly in studies comprising student samples. Previously, we showed that s...

This article provides an overview of the design and methodology of the “Corona lockdown: how fit are you?” (CLOFIT) study, including the questionnaires and scales that were included in the online survey. The aim of the CLOFIT study was to investigate the psychosocial and health consequences of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in the...

Objectives Cardiovascular and neurocognitive responses to chewing gum have been reported, but the mechanisms are not well understood. Chewing gum after a nitrate-rich meal may upregulate the reduction of oral nitrate to nitrite and increase nitric oxide (NO), a molecule important to cardiovascular and neurocognitive health. We aimed to explore effe...

SJP-005 (a combination of ketotifen and ibuprofen) is being developed as a potential treatment for pain and for opioid use disorder. It is therefore important to investigate the potential antinociceptive properties of SJP-005. Two studies were conducted to evaluate the potential effects of SJP-005 in rats. Study 1 applied the von Frey test to exami...

Five years ago, with the editorial board of Frontiers in Nutrition, we took a leap of faith to outline the Goals for Nutrition Science – the way we see it (1). Now, in 2020, we can put ourselves to the test and take a look back. Without a doubt we got it right with several of the key directions. To name a few, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) f...

The Western 24 h society poses great psychological and physical demands on people, which may result in complaints such as stress or being overworked, and reduced immune fitness. Having a holiday may be a good way to reduce work-related stress and reduced mood and improve perceived immune fitness. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to asses...

Pharmaceutical cognitive enhancers tend to target single or classes of neurotransmitters. Given that most cognitive functions are the expression of multiple physiological processes, it is unsurprising that classic drug development has resulted in a few effective cognitive enhancers. At the same time there are well-characterised botanical extracts w...

It is well established that what certain nutrients benefit our physical health. More recently there has been growing interest in the relationship between diet and brain health. The dietary pattern that has received the most interest is the Mediterranean diet. Many years have passed since the original Seven Countries study, which indicated that indi...

Background Post-operative cognitive function has recently become an area of focus for researchers. The most commonly reported perioperative neurocognitive disorders include delirium and longer-lasting post-operative cognitive dysfunctions. The contributing pathophysiology to these complications remains unclear. A number of studies have systematical...

The alcohol hangover is defined as the combination of negative mental and physical symptoms, which can be experienced after a single episode of alcohol consumption, starting when blood alcohol concentration (BAC) approaches zero. Here, we present the book “The alcohol hangover: causes, consequences, and treatment”, written to celebrate the 10th ann...

It is well established that what certain nutrients benefit our physical health. More recently there has been growing interest in the relationship between diet and brain health. The dietary pattern that has received the most interest is the Mediterranean diet. Many years have passed since the original Seven Countries study, which indicated that indi...

Many researchers have identified the issue of self-selection bias hindering the ability to detect nutrient effects in healthy populations. However, it appears that no effort has been made to mitigate this potential design flaw. By recruiting individuals on the basis of pre-trial dietary intake, the Memory and Attention Supplementation Trial aimed t...

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is a water soluble vitamin with an array of biological functions. A number of proposed factors contribute to the vitamin's plasma bioavailability and ability to exert optimal functionality. The aim of this review was to systematically assess plasma vitamin C levels post-surgery compared with pre-surgery/ the magnitude and...

The limited number of available studies that examined the pathology of alcohol hangover focused on biomarkers of alcohol metabolism, oxidative stress and the inflammatory response to alcohol as potentially important determinants of hangover severity. The available literature on alcohol metabolism and oxidative stress is reviewed in this article. Th...

The effect of carbohydrates and sucrose on cognitive performance in children has been the subject of several trials. Some studies have found both positive and negative effects of glucose and carbohydrates on cognitive function in school children. These studies are important in terms of designing functional foods that can assist children in learning...

Evidence for diet quality representing a modifiable risk factor for age-related cognitive decline and mood disturbances has typically come from retrospective, cross-sectional analyses. Here a diet screening tool (DST) was used to categorize healthy middle-aged volunteers (n = 141, 40–65 years) into “optimal” or “sub-optimal” diet groups to investig...

Objective: To investigate the effects of acute Panax quinquefolius (American ginseng) administration on steady state visually evoked potentials (SSVEPs) during completion of working memory and continuous performance tasks. Methods: A randomised, double-blind, placebo controlled, balanced, cross-over trial was conducted in middle-aged volunteers...

Hangover resistance may be linked to an increased risk of continuing harmful drinking behaviours as well as involvement in potentially dangerous daily activities such as driving while hungover, mainly due to the absence of negative consequences (i.e., hangover symptoms) the day after alcohol consumption. The aim of this study was to examine the occ...

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a non-proteinogenic amino acid and is the main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the mammalian brain. GABA's stress-reducing, and sleep enhancing effects have been established. However, although several human clinical trials have been conducted, results regarding the role of natural and/or biosynthetic oral GABA intak...

The aim of this study was to investigate whether baseline mood and/or mood while drinking have an impact on alcohol hangover severity. A survey was held among N = 331 young adults (mean age = 23.6 years, range = 18–35 years). Demographics, alcohol consumption, subjective intoxication, and hangover severity were assessed for the past three days. In...

There is increasing evidence that sex differences in the brain may contribute to gender-related behavioral differences, including cognitive function. Literature has revealed gender dimorphisms in cognitive function between males and females. Additionally, several risk factors associated with cognitive decline depend on chronological age. It is well...

This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate randomized controlled trials that investigated the use of probiotic, prebiotic, and fermented food interventions for cognitive performance. In total, 22 studies (n = 1551) were included that investigated probiotics (11 studies, n = 724), prebiotics (5 studies, n = 355), and fermented foods...

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of putative hangover treatment, Rapid Recovery, in mitigating alcohol hangover (AH) symptom severity. Using a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, balanced crossover design, 20 participants attended the laboratory for two evenings of alcohol consumption, each followed by morning assessment...

An increasing number of studies are focusing on the inflammatory response to alcohol as a potentially important determinant of hangover severity. In this article, data from two studies were re-evaluated to investigate the relationship between hangover severity and relevant biomarkers of alcohol metabolism, oxidative stress and the inflammatory resp...

Assessments in blood and saliva suggests that the amount of ethanol present in the first hours after alcohol consumption and into the following morning is associated with hangover severity. The current analysis determines how ethanol elimination rate is related to hangover severity reported throughout the day. n = 8 subjects participated in two stu...

Longitudinal studies report that regular nut consumption is associated with reduced risk of coronary heart disease and better cognitive function. Thus, nuts may improve cardiovascular and neurocognitive health – especially in ‘at-risk’ populations (e.g. overweight/obese). This study examined the effect of supplementing habitual diets of overweight/...

The flavonoid curcumin is believed to be responsible for the purported health benefits of turmeric. Like other flavonoids, curcumin affects several systemic and central processes involved in neurocognitive aging. We have previously shown that one month administration of a highly bioavailable curcumin extract (Longvida™) improved working memory and...

Tea is often described as having “refreshing” properties. Indeed, components of both green and black tea have been shown to acutely improve aspects of cognition and mood and to affect cardiovascular function. There is, however, surprising little research directly comparing these effects between different types of tea. This study therefore examined...

Various factors may contribute to alcohol hangover severity. The purpose of the current investigation was to evaluate the possible impact of alcohol consumption patterns, perceived immune status, and baseline fatigue on hangover severity. A survey was completed by a convenience sample of N = 199 Dutch students who reported on their latest past mont...

Curcumin (a flavonoid isolated from turmeric) affects several processes involved in neurocognitive aging. We have previously reported that short term (4-weeks) administration of a highly bioavailable curcumin preparation (Longvida©) improved working memory and reduced fatigue and stress reactivity in a healthy older cohort. The present trial (ACTRN...

A transient improvement in cognitive performance can be observed following the ingestion of a glucose drink, a phenomenon known as the ‘glucose facilitation effect’. The effect has been studied thoroughly in the last three decades, but its neural underpinnings remain a matter of speculation. A systematic review was conducted to evaluate the current...

Post-operative neurocognitive disorders are becoming well-documented conditions, with their pathogenesis remaining unclear. Vitamin C is a molecule that has recently demonstrated both a potential link with cognitive function and a significant post-operative decline. Here, we present a case study of a 72-year-old male who underwent total knee replac...

Long term nut consumption is associated with reduced risk of coronary heart disease and better cognitive function. This study examined supplementing habitual diets with almonds or carbohydrate-rich snack foods (providing 15% energy) on biomarkers of cardiovascular and metabolic health, mood and cognitive performance. Participants (overweight/obese,...