Neurophysiological Reserve With Caffeine Manipulation

December 4, 2014 updated by: Flavio de Oliveira Pires, University of Sao Paulo

Neurophysiological Reserve: Peripheral and Central Effects of Caffeine Manipulation

The objective of this study is to verify if there is a neurophysiologic reserve when caffeine and placebo perceived as caffeine are manipulated in closed- and opened-loop exercises. Parameters of excitability level of skeletal muscle and Central Nervous System (CNS), and peripheral metabolism will be measured

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

A neurophysiological reserve related to central mechanisms is supposed to be present, which should be observed when an increased central drive occurs. In theory, according to the central regulation model of effort, an increased performance could be due to the elevation on Central Nervous System excitability and activity, since exercise is not peripherally limited. Conversely, the absence of muscle performance improvement to the increased central drive promoted by caffeine would be an evidence for a peripherally localized neurophysiological limit and would indicate the absence of reserve. Therefore, if present, this reserve could be verified by using peripheral and central measures derived from electric-stimulation, evoked twitch and interpolated twitch techniques, associated to measures of EMG and peripheral metabolism, when caffeine is manipulated during closed- and opened-loop exercise.

In addition, there should also be possible to access the reserve without stimulant substance manipulation (placebo effect). By teleological argument derived from the central regulation model of effort, a neurophysiological reserve would be a natural mechanism to protect the cellular integrity. Therefore, it would be reasonable to hypothesize that, if present, a reserve would be observed by an increase in performance promoted by an elevation in central drive when placebo is perceived as caffeine. Unfortunately, however, no study utilized this experimental approach, including measures of central and peripheral activity during closed- and opened-loop exercise, to consistently respond the reserve question.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

20

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

      • São Paulo, Brazil, 05508-030
        • University of Sao Paulo

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 35 years (Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

Male

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • trained cyclists
  • trained in long distance races

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Maximum oxygen uptake lower than 55 ml/kg/min

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Caffeine
After ingestion of 6 mg.kg-1 of body mass of caffeine, subjects will perform the one exercise trial.
6 mg/kg of body mass of caffeine will be ingested by subjects before exercise.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Neurophysiological reserve evidenced by caffeine
Time Frame: Immediately after the administration (around 10 minutes)
The time to cover a 4-km trial (closed-loop) or the time to exhaustion in an incremental intensity test (opened-loop) can show if the caffeine manipulation affects the performance. In addition, measures of CNS excitability such as EMG during the closed-loop exercise or at the exhaustion point in the opened-loop exercise, and measures such as the amplitude of H reflex, the rate of increase in H reflex/M wave relationship, can indicate if some central or peripheral alteration occurred during the exercises.
Immediately after the administration (around 10 minutes)
Neurophysiological reserve evidenced by caffeine
Time Frame: Immediately after the administration (around 10 minutes)
The time to cover a 4-km trial (closed-loop) or the time to exhaustion in an incremental intensity test (opened-loop) can show if the placebo manipulation affects the performance. In addition, measures of CNS excitability such as EMG during the closed-loop exercise or at the exhaustion point in the opened-loop exercise, and measures such as the amplitude of H reflex, the rate of increase in H reflex/M wave relationship, can indicate if some central or peripheral alteration ocurred during the exercises.
Immediately after the administration (around 10 minutes)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Neurophysiological reserve evidenced by placebo
Time Frame: Immediately after the administration (around 10 minutes)
The placebo should also promote decrease in time of trial or increase in mean power output during a closed-loop exercise, elevation in time to exhaustion and maximal power output during an opened-loop exercise, and increase in maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) and time to contraction in a target force. Also, there should be a higher CNS excitability such as: 1) higher EMG during closed-loop exercise and higher EMG at the exhaustion point in an opened-loop exercise; 2) increased amplitude of H reflex; 3) elevation on the rate of increase in H reflex/M wave relationship.
Immediately after the administration (around 10 minutes)

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Collaborators

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Carlos Ugrinowitsch, PhD, University of Sao Paulo

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

March 1, 2011

Primary Completion (Actual)

June 1, 2011

Study Completion (Actual)

September 1, 2011

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

July 21, 2010

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

July 21, 2010

First Posted (Estimate)

July 22, 2010

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

December 5, 2014

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

December 4, 2014

Last Verified

December 1, 2014

More Information

Terms related to this study

Other Study ID Numbers

  • EEFE026
  • 2010/01317-0

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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