Can you enhance executive control without glucose? The effects of fructose on problem solving

The consumption of glucose can enhance executive control by increasing blood glucose and providing energy for brain processes. However, a glucose mouth rinse also positively affects executive control in the absence of an effect on blood glucose. This observation suggests that glucose can enhance exe...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford) 2013-07, Vol.27 (7), p.645-650
Main Authors: Miller, Holly C, Bourrasseau, Camille, Blampain, Justine
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Biological and medical sciences
Blood
Blood Glucose - metabolism
Brain
Brain - drug effects
Brain - metabolism
Diet
Double-Blind Method
Energy Metabolism - drug effects
Executive Function - drug effects
Female
Fructose - administration & dosage
Fructose - metabolism
Glucose
Glucose - administration & dosage
Glucose - metabolism
Humans
Male
Medical sciences
Neuropharmacology
Pharmacology. Drug treatments
Problem solving
Problem Solving - drug effects
Young Adult
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Summary:The consumption of glucose can enhance executive control by increasing blood glucose and providing energy for brain processes. However, a glucose mouth rinse also positively affects executive control in the absence of an effect on blood glucose. This observation suggests that glucose can enhance executive control via another mechanism, perhaps by increasing cortical activation in motivational reward pathways. This hypothesis was examined in the current study by having participants consume fructose, glucose or a placebo 10 minutes before solving word anagrams. Fructose was used because it does not affect blood glucose levels, inhibits cortical responding, and cannot entrain a taste preference post-ingestion. The latter evidences that fructose differs from glucose in its ability to elicit activation in motivational reward pathways. It was observed that consuming fructose and glucose resulted in the resolution of more anagrams than the placebo. These results suggest that at least some of the effects of glucose and fructose on problem solving operate through a common peripheral mechanism that is independent of motivational reward pathways.
ISSN:0269-8811
1461-7285
DOI:10.1177/0269881112473790