The Cognitive Effects of an Acute Dose of Dark Chocolate on the Deary-Liewald Four Choice Reaction Time Test
Faculty Sponsor
Michael Sardinia, msardinia@whitworth.edu
Session Type
Poster Presentation
Research Project Abstract
Cocoa beans have been widely studied for their improvements to the cardiovascular and nervous systems due to their high flavanol content. Cocoa flavanols have been found to improve neural function through increased vasodilation of cerebral blood vessels, angiogenesis, and neurogenesis. This experiment sought to test the effects of a single serving of dark chocolate on the cognitive performance of college age students using the Deary-Liewald Four Choice Reaction Time Test. When comparing 0% white chocolate and 70% dark chocolate groups there was an 8.66ms difference in reaction time (n=21,p=0.388). Both groups averaged 2 mistakes per participant (n=19,p= 0.899). It was found that there was no significant difference between reaction time or number of mistakes when participants consumed either dark chocolate or white chocolate.
Session Number
PS3
Location
HUB Multipurpose Room
Abstract Number
PS3-l
The Cognitive Effects of an Acute Dose of Dark Chocolate on the Deary-Liewald Four Choice Reaction Time Test
HUB Multipurpose Room
Cocoa beans have been widely studied for their improvements to the cardiovascular and nervous systems due to their high flavanol content. Cocoa flavanols have been found to improve neural function through increased vasodilation of cerebral blood vessels, angiogenesis, and neurogenesis. This experiment sought to test the effects of a single serving of dark chocolate on the cognitive performance of college age students using the Deary-Liewald Four Choice Reaction Time Test. When comparing 0% white chocolate and 70% dark chocolate groups there was an 8.66ms difference in reaction time (n=21,p=0.388). Both groups averaged 2 mistakes per participant (n=19,p= 0.899). It was found that there was no significant difference between reaction time or number of mistakes when participants consumed either dark chocolate or white chocolate.
