BIO

Hello! My name is Connor Krassel. I am a Sophomore Biological Sciences Major and UROP student here at Florida State University. Since I was young, I have always been interested in the 'why' behind how things in the natural world work and specifically interested in how the natural world not only makes up, but effects the human body. This deep passion to understand the unknown drove me to seek out the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program at FSU and is what gave me the opportunity to be a Research Assistant in the College of Health and Human sciences in the Department of Nutrition and Integrative Physiology. The opportunity to involve myself in research at FSU has be an amazing experience where I was able to meet some truly dedicated and intellectually curious people while also being able to broaden my skill set to better prepare myself for my future goals. I hope everyone gets to have an experience in research and gets the same great experience that I did!

Impact of Creatine Supplementation on Cognitive Performance and Mental Health in Geriatric Adults

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Creatine monohydrate supplementation is associated with improved ATP turnover rates and energy metabolism. This pilot study assesses the impact of creatine monohydrate supplementation on neuropsychological performance in geriatric populations, a group at high risk of neurological diseases. METHODS: Twelve older adults (M = 5, W = 7; Mean ± SE: 66 ± 1 years) randomly consumed creatine monohydrate(CM) or placebo (PL) for 4 weeks. Both pre- and post-supplementation, participants completed The Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status, a comprehensive evaluation of 5 cognitive domains. Some participants completed questionnaires: Beck’s Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck’s Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36). After 4 weeks, independent samples t-tests (p < 0.05) were used to assess group differences in score changes. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant difference in mean delta change in scores for Immediate Memory, with CM group improving more drastically than PL group (CM = 15.33 ± 2.42, PL = -2.67 ± 3.81), t (10) = 3.99, p = 0.003. Similar improvements were noted for Language (CM = 9.67 ± 1.73, PL = -3.33 ± 2.75, t (10) = 4.001, p = 0.003) and Total Score (CM = 12 ± 3.4, PL = -0.67 ± 3.48, t (10) = 2.61, p = 0.026). No significant differences were found for other subcategories or questionnaires. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that 4 weeks of CM supplementation shows promise in alleviating cognitive decline in geriatric populations, capable of enhancing cognitive disciplines including immediate memory, language, and overall cognitive performance.

Keywords: Creatine, Cognitive Performance, Mental Health, Geriatric Patients, Nutrition and Integrative physiology