Effect of açaí in auditory evoked response in cardiac frequency variabiality

• Grant number: 20/00108-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: December 01, 2020
• End date: July 31, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Speech Therapy
• Principal Investigator: Ana Claudia Figueiredo Frizzo
• Grantee: Milena Sonsini Machado
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Filosofia e Ciências (FFC). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Marília. Marília , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Acai (Euterpe oleracea), a popular fruit in Brazil, composed of anthocyanins, has an inhibitory effect on the oxidation processes generated by free radicals and oxidative stress. This inhibitory action prevents diseases such as diabetes, dyslipidemia and cardiovascular disease. Scientific evidence suggests that these antioxidant effects of acai berry are also capable of influencing the auditory processing and indices of autonomic heart rate modulation. Objective: To verify the effects of acai supplementation on auditory perception and autonomic nervous system. Method: The study will be conducted in young adult women 18 to 30 years old. Individuals with cardiorespiratory, neurological disorders, as well as those under medication that influence the autonomic nervous system will not be analyzed. The volunteers will be examined on two different days with a seven-day break between them. On the first day, the initial evaluation will be performed (age, gender, weight, height, hip, waist and abdominal circumference and blood pressure) and audiological evaluation (audiological anamnesis, threshold tonal audiometry and immittance). Then, the heart rate will be recorded for HRV (Heart Rate Variability) analysis during 10 minutes, at rest and 10min during the recording of Long Latency Auditory Evoked Potential (LLAEP). After collecting these variables, the volunteers will ingest acai capsules (750mg) or placebo, controlled by a third person, neither the researcher nor the volunteer will be aware of the contents of the capsule (double-blind). After half an hour of capsule ingestion the same variables will be analyzed. HRV and LLAEP will be compared before and after capsule ingestion. On the second day the same procedures will be performed and for the sake of randomization the third researcher will verify which protocol was performed on the first day (placebo or intervention) and will deliver the ingested papule to the volunteer.