Composition for enhancing activity of network responsible for maintaining task set in brain

Abstract

To provide a new application of carbon dioxide gas that is dissolved in water.SOLUTION: A composition for enhancing activity of the cingulo-opercular network according to the present invention comprises carbon dioxide gas dissolved in water as an active ingredient for enhancing activity of the cingulo-opercular network.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a composition for enhancing the activity of a network responsible for maintaining a brain task set, and in particular to a composition for enhancing the activity of the cingulo-opercular network. [Background technology]

[0002] Carbonated water, which contains dissolved carbon dioxide, is widely consumed in restaurants and homes, and its physiological effects have been extensively studied. For example, it is known that drinking carbonated water before a meal can induce satiety, activate the stomach and induce heart rate fluctuations, stimulate the oral cavity, lower foot temperature and induce heart rate fluctuations, and potentially improve work efficiency during mentally tiring tasks (Non-Patent Documents 1-4). Long-term intake of carbonated water is also known to lower blood pressure, improve cognitive function, lower uric acid levels, and reduce bilirubin levels (Patent Documents 1-3). Meanwhile, Non-Patent Document 5 describes the cingulo-opercular network, centered on the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) / medial superior frontal cortex (msFC) and the insular cortex (aI) / frontal opercular cortex (fO), which is responsible for maintaining task set. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-041377 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-041378 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-041379 [Non-patent literature]

[0004] [Non-Patent Document 1] Cuomo R. et al., “The role of a pre-load beverage on gastric volume and food intake: comparison between non-caloric carbonated and non-carbonated beverage”, Nutrition Journal, Vol. 10, 114 (2011) [Non-patent document 2] Wakisaka S. et al., “The Effects of Carbonated Water upon Gastric and Cardiac activities and Fullness in Healthy Young Women,” Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology, Vol. 58, pp. 333-338 (2012) [Non-patent document 3] Ayaka Takagi et al., "Effects of Oral Stimulation with Carbonated Water on Core and Peripheral Body Temperatures - Evaluation Using Oral Stimulation by Sham-feeding," Journal of the Japanese Society of Nutrition and Food Science, Vol. 67, No. 1, pp. 19-25 (2014) [Non-patent document 4] Kyosuke Watanabe et al., "Anti-fatigue effects of carbonated water on acute mental fatigue in healthy adults," 15th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society for Fatigue Research (2019) [Non-Patent Document 5] Dosenbach et al., “A Core System for the Implementation of Task Sets,” Neuron, Vol. 50, pp. 799-812 (2006) Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] There are still many unknowns about the physiological effects of carbon dioxide dissolved in water, and its effects on brain activity in particular have not been fully investigated. Therefore, the present invention aims to investigate in more detail the effects of carbon dioxide dissolved in water on brain activity and to provide new uses for it. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] As a result of extensive research aimed at solving the above problems, the inventors discovered that carbon dioxide dissolved in water has the effect of improving the activity of the cingulate-opercular network, leading to the completion of the present invention. That is, the present invention provides the following composition for improving the activity of the cingulate-opercular network. [1] A composition for improving the activity of the cingulo-opercular network, comprising carbon dioxide dissolved in water as an active ingredient for improving the activity of the cingulo-opercular network. [2] The composition according to [1], wherein the amount of carbon dioxide dissolved is 3.5 gas volumes (GV) or more. [3] The composition described in [1] above, which is in the form of a beverage. [4] The composition according to any one of [1] to [3] above, which is in the form of carbonated water. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, the activity of the cingulo-opercular network can be improved by ingesting carbonated water containing dissolved carbon dioxide. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] This graph shows the signal change rate of functional MRI (fMRI) in the anterior cingulate cortex. The black circles represent the mean and the vertical bars represent the standard deviation (two-way ANOVA, **: P < 0.01, ns: not significant). [Figure 2] Graphs of fMRI signal change rates in the insular cortex are shown (two-way ANOVA, **: P<0.01, ns: not significant). DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The present invention will now be described in further detail. The composition for improving the activity of the cingulo-opercular network of the present invention contains carbon dioxide (also known as carbon dioxide or CO2) dissolved in water as an active ingredient for improving the activity of the cingulo-opercular network. The water in which the carbon dioxide is dissolved can be any water commonly used in the art, as long as it can be taken orally. For example, the water may be pure water, ion-exchanged water, filtered water, well water, natural water, mineral water, tap water, or a mixture thereof.

[0010] The method for dissolving carbon dioxide in water is not particularly limited. For example, carbon dioxide may be dissolved by injecting it into the water (so-called carbonation), or carbon dioxide may be dissolved naturally (i.e., natural water containing carbon dioxide may be used). Carbon dioxide dissolved in water in this manner can be used as an active ingredient for improving the activity of the cingulate-opercular network. The amount of carbon dioxide dissolved is not particularly limited as long as it is an amount effective for improving the activity of the cingulate-opercular network. For example, it may be about 1.0 gas volume (GV) or more, preferably about 1.5 GV or more, and more preferably about 3.5 GV or more. When the amount of carbon dioxide dissolved is within this range, the effect of improving the activity of the cingulate-opercular network is more effectively exerted. Furthermore, the amount of carbon dioxide dissolved may be about 6.0 GV or less.

[0011] Here, gas volume [GV] refers to the ratio of the volume of carbon dioxide dissolved in a composition for improving the activity of the cingulate-opercular network to the volume of the composition at 1 atmosphere and 20°C. Gas volume can be measured, for example, using a commercially available measuring device (Kyoto Electronics Manufacturing Co., Ltd. Gas Volume Measuring Device GVA-500A). More specifically, after a sample is cooled to 20°C, a gas pressure gauge is attached, the stopcock is opened once to release gas (sniff), the stopcock is immediately closed, and the sample is vigorously shaken. The gas volume of the sample can be calculated from the value when the pressure becomes constant.

[0012] In one embodiment, the composition for improving cingulate-opercular network activity of the present invention may be an oral composition that is taken orally. The specific form of the composition for improving cingulate-opercular network activity is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, a pharmaceutical composition, a quasi-drug, a food or beverage, or a feed. The food or beverage may be, for example, a general food, a health functional food (such as a food for specified health uses, a food with nutrient function claims, or a food with functional claims), or a food for special dietary uses (such as a food for patients, a food for infants, or a food for pregnant or nursing women). More specifically, the composition for improving cingulate-opercular network activity may be in the form of a liquid, an elixir, a limonase preparation, or a beverage such as carbonated water (also known as sparkling water), a carbonated fruit juice beverage, or a carbonated alcoholic beverage, with carbonated water being preferred.

[0013] Here, carbonated water refers to a sugar-free carbonated beverage that contains substantially no sugar. Under the nutritional labeling standards based on the Health Promotion Act, a beverage can be labeled as sugar-free if it contains less than 0.5 g of sugar per 100 mL. In this specification, as with the standard, a sugar-free carbonated beverage is one that contains less than 0.5 g of sugar per 100 mL. A preferred sugar-free carbonated beverage contains 0.0 g of sugar per 100 mL.

[0014] The amount of intake of the composition for improving cingulate-opercular network activity of the present invention is not particularly limited, but for example, when an adult ingests the liquid oral composition, the composition may be ingested at a dose of about 100 to about 500 mL, preferably about 300 to about 500 mL, about 1 to about 3 times per day, preferably about 2 to about 3 times per day. Furthermore, the composition for improving cingulate-opercular network activity of the present invention may be taken in a single dose, but to more efficiently exert its improving effect on cingulate-opercular network activity, it is preferable to take it continuously for two or more days, and particularly preferably for about 28 or more days.

[0015] The composition for improving cingulate-opercular network activity of the present invention can be used to activate the activity of the cingulate-opercular network in a subject or to suppress a decrease in the activity of the cingulate-opercular network in a subject. As used herein, the term "cingulate-opercular network" refers to a brain network centered on the dorsal anterior cingulate gyrus and the anterior insular cortex, and "cingulate-opercular network activity" refers to brain activity in the brain network region centered on the dorsal anterior cingulate gyrus and the anterior insular cortex. The activity of the cingulate-opercular network can be appropriately measured using testing methods commonly used in the art, such as functional MRI (fMRI) (see, for example, Non-Patent Document 5, if necessary).

[0016] The composition for improving the activity of the cingulo-opercular network of the present invention may further contain any inactive ingredient commonly used in the art, such as additives such as pharmaceutically or food-acceptable solvents, buffers, sweeteners, acidulants, flavorings, antifoaming agents, and antioxidants, as long as the objectives of the present invention are not impaired. Furthermore, the composition for improving the activity of the cingulo-opercular network of the present invention may further contain an additional active ingredient commonly used in the art, as long as the objectives of the present invention are not impaired. The additional active ingredient may be an ingredient that has the effect of improving the activity of the cingulo-opercular network, or may be an ingredient that has another effect.

[0017] In another aspect, the present invention relates to a method for improving the activity of the cingulo-opercular network, comprising the step of administering to a subject an effective amount of carbon dioxide dissolved in water, which may be administered in the form of a composition for improving the activity of the cingulo-opercular network, as described as one aspect of the present invention. Specific embodiments of carbon dioxide dissolved in water used in the method of the present invention are as described above in connection with the composition of the present invention.

[0018] In another aspect, the present invention relates to the use of carbon dioxide dissolved in water for the manufacture of a composition for enhancing the activity of the cingulo-opercular network, as described in one aspect of the present invention. Specific embodiments of the carbon dioxide dissolved in water used in the method of use of the present invention are as described above in relation to the composition of the present invention.

[0019] In another aspect, the present invention relates to an enhancer for the activity of the cingulo-opercular network, comprising carbon dioxide dissolved in water as an active ingredient, or to the non-therapeutic use of carbon dioxide dissolved in water as an enhancer for the activity of the cingulo-opercular network. Specific embodiments of the carbon dioxide dissolved in water used in the enhancer defined by the present invention are as described above for the composition of the present invention.

[0020] The present invention will be specifically explained below with reference to examples, but the scope of the present invention is not limited to these examples. [Example]

[0021] [Test example] Water was carbonated using conventional methods to prepare 4.5GV carbonated water. This carbonated water contained no other active or inactive ingredients. The effects of carbonated water on the core network were examined using a double-blind study. Specifically, subjects who received informed consent ingested 300mL of either 4.5GV carbonated water or plain water. Approximately 25 minutes later, they completed a 30-minute Continuous Performance Test (CPT) and underwent functional MRI (fMRI). The subjects consisted of 23 individuals, 12 women and 11 men, with a mean age of 36.5±7.8 years.

[0022] The CPT performance time was divided into four periods, designated epoch 1, epoch 2, epoch 3, and epoch 4, starting from the first period. The signal change rate for each epoch, relative to the fMRI signal when the CPT task was not being performed, was calculated for each brain region. The effect size d value (Cohen's d) was calculated using standard methods to examine the degree of effect. The signal change rates for the anterior cingulate gyrus and the insular cortex for epoch 1 and epoch 4 are shown in Figures 1 and 2, respectively. The approximate effect size d value is as follows: Less than 0.2 = negligible effect 0.2 or more = small effect 0.5 or more = Effective 0.8 or higher = Highly effective

[0023] As can be seen from Figures 1 and 2, the water intake group showed a decrease in signals in the anterior cingulate cortex and insular cortex during epochs 1 to 4, whereas no such decrease in signals was observed in the carbonated water intake group.

[0024] From the above, it was found that the activity of the cingulate-opercular network can be improved by ingesting carbonated water containing dissolved carbon dioxide.

Claims

1. A composition for improving the activity of the cingulo-opercular network, comprising carbon dioxide gas dissolved in water as an active ingredient for improving the activity of the cingulo-opercular network.

2. 2. The composition according to claim 1, wherein the amount of carbon dioxide dissolved is 3.5 gas volumes (GV) or more.

3. The composition of claim 1 in the form of a beverage.

4. The composition according to any one of claims 1 to 3, which is in the form of carbonated water.

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