The effects of creatine supplementation on neurocognitive function of college students of differing levels and types of physical activity
Open Access
Author:
Ivanov, Bogdan
Area of Honors:
Interdisciplinary in Biology and Kinesiology
Degree:
Bachelor of Science
Document Type:
Thesis
Thesis Supervisors:
Semyon Slobounov, Thesis Supervisor James Harold Marden, Thesis Honors Advisor
Keywords:
Brain Neurocognitive function creatine supplementation creatine supplementation brain health brain metabolism neurocognition cognition
Abstract:
Creatine binds with a phosphate in the phosphocreatine energy system to provide increased adenosine triphosphate (ATP) to cells. Although creatine supplementation has been common among those physically active, its positive effects on the workload capacity of muscles, further exploration is needed to understand how it affects other systems and organs, such as the brain. Several neurocognitive tests stimulating various regions of the brain were administered to examine if creatine had positive effects on function, including Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST), Trail Making Test B (TMT-B) and several virtual reality (VR) tests. Results showed sex was significantly associated with balance performance in those who did not supplement with creatine (p=0.016). Additionally, creatine supplementation significantly improved spatial memory in those with no history of head injury (p=0.006). These findings indicate that creatine may have a greater efficacy, with respect to balance function and the neurometabolism of the brain stem and cerebellum, in females compared to males. Additionally, creatine may have a positive effect on the memory in individuals with no history of head injury and may also indicate that prior head injury may decrease the efficacy of the phosphocreatine energy system in the brain long-term, specifically in the hippocampus and medial entorhinal cortex.