Investigation on the Chronic Effects of Nepalese Pepper (Zanthoxylum Armatum DC) on Cognitive Fun… (NCT07752329) | Clinical Trial Compass
Not Yet RecruitingNot Applicable
Investigation on the Chronic Effects of Nepalese Pepper (Zanthoxylum Armatum DC) on Cognitive Function, Mood and Gaming Performance in Young, Healthy, Action Video Gamers
United Kingdom70 participantsStarted 2026-08-20
Plain-language summary
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if daily supplementation with a Nepalese Pepper Extract (Zanthoxylum Armatum, ZA) can improve cognitive performance and gaming performance in action video gamers aged 16 to 39, when taken over an extended period. The main questions it aims to answer are:
Does chronic (42-day) daily ZA supplementation improve speed of cognitive performance and reduce subjective mental fatigue? Do these effects translate into objective and self-reported improvements in gaming performance? Are there additional acute (within-session) effects at the end of a chronic supplementation period, on top of any chronic effect?
Researchers will compare 275mg daily ZA supplementation to placebo to see if chronic ZA produces better cognitive performance and lower fatigue than placebo. Participants will:
Complete a screening call and a training visit on the computerised cognitive tasks and gaming tasks Take a daily capsule (either ZA or placebo, depending on treatment order) each morning with food for 42 days, then switch to the other treatment for a further 42 days after a 2-week washout Attend four testing visits at the research centre: a baseline and an endpoint visit for each 42-day treatment period Avoid alcohol and energy drinks for 24 hours before each testing visit, and caffeine from waking Complete cognitive tests before dosing and 1 hour after dosing at each testing visit Complete mood and sleep questionnaires Wear a heart rate monitor at rest on arrival at each visit Complete gaming-specific tasks (aim training, MOBA character control, multi-tasking, finger tapping, Fitts' Law, multiple object tracking, collision prediction) Play their action video game of choice at home throughout each 42-day period and complete performance questionnaires
Who can participate
Age range
16 Years – 39 Years
Sex
ALL
See this in plain English?
AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
Inclusion Criteria:
* Aged 16 to 39 years inclusive
* Males and females
* Self-report of good health
* Usually a regular (at least 5 hours per week on average) player of action video games, including but not limited to First-Person Shooters (FPS) and Massive Online Battle Arenas (MOBA), (prospective participants will be asked to contact the researchers to discuss their gaming habits if uncertain that they meet the criteria).
Exclusion Criteria:
* Have any pre-existing medical condition/illness which will impact taking part in the study (i.e. participants may be allowed to progress to screening if they have a condition/illness which would not interact with the active treatments or impede performance).
* Are currently taking prescription medications. NOTE: the explicit exceptions to this are contraceptive treatments for female participants, and those taken 'as needed' in the treatment of asthma and hay fever. There may be other instances of medication use which, where no interaction with the active treatments is likely, and which would not be expected to have any impact on brain function, participants may be able to progress to screening.
* Have high blood pressure (systolic over 139 mm Hg or diastolic over 89 mm Hg); or have low blood pressure (systolic below 90 mm Hg or diastolic below 60 mm Hg)
* Have a Body Mass Index (BMI) outside of the range 18.5-35 kg/m2
* Are pregnant, seeking to become pregnant or lactating
* Have learning and/or behavioural diagnoses such as dysle…
Questions worth asking your doctor
Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.
1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?
Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.
Questions for the trial coordinator
The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.
1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?
A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.
What they're measuring
1
Subjective Fatigue
Timeframe: Assessed at pre-dose baseline and 1hr post-dose, on the Baseline and Endpoint visit of each 42-day treatment arm.
2
Speed of Performance
Timeframe: Assessed at pre-dose baseline and 1hr post-dose, on the Baseline and Endpoint visit of each 42-day treatment arm.