CaffeineNCT07852299
The Effects of a Caffeine Supplement (UBrain) on Cognitive Fatigue After a Virtual Reality Drive Simulation
A study testing Caffeine supplement in people with Caffeine, run by University of Padova at 1 site in Italy.
Trial summary
Motorsport drivers are now widely recognized as athletes in their own right, as they are required to cope with levels of physical and psychological stress comparable to those experienced in more conventional sports. However, cognitive function appears to play a particularly crucial role in motorsport athletes. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 35 years, men onlyHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Caffeine
- What is being tested?
- Caffeine supplement
- Type of treatment
- Pill or oral medicine
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 8 participants
- Where
- 1 siteItaly
- Study dates
- Oct 2026to Jan 2027
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 35 years
- Men only
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- No evidence of cognitive impairment, defined as a final score of ≥26 on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA).
- Previous experience with on-track driving and/or driving simulation
Who cannot join
- Medical history, signs, or symptoms of severe, uncontrolled, or unstable diabetes mellitus or cardiovascular, respiratory, hepatic, renal, thyroid, neurological, neuromuscular, peripheral vascular, or autoimmune disease.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Italy1 site
Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padua
Padova, PD, 10034
Antonio Paoli, 0498275318, antonio.paoli@unipd.it
About this study
Official title: The Effects of the Caffeine Supplement UBrain on Cognitive Fatigue and Performance in Motorsport Athletes After a Virtual Reality Drive Simulation
Motorsport drivers are now widely recognized as athletes in their own right, as they are required to cope with levels of physical and psychological stress comparable to those experienced in more conventional sports. However, cognitive function appears to play a particularly crucial role in motorsport athletes. Indeed, in competitive automobile racing, the ability to achieve and maintain high speeds depends to a large extent on cognitive information-processing abilities rather than solely on physical parameters.
Although these motor-cognitive abilities can be enhanced through specific training and coaching programs targeting both physical and psychological domains, to date, few studies in the scientific literature have investigated the potential psychophysiological benefits of sports supplementation in motorsport athletes. One aspect that warrants further investigation is the use of dietary supplements containing caffeine and nootropic compounds. Indeed, these supplementation has been shown to potentially enhance executive functions and working memory at the central level.
Therefore, the investigation of novel supplementation strategies with potential ergogenic effects on the psychophysiological performance of motorsport drivers remains important for optimizing both central and peripheral adaptations in this specific athletic population. To this end, the dietary supplement (UBrain) was selected for use in the present study.
- Conditions
- Caffeine
- Being tested
- Caffeine supplement, Placebo
- Keywords
- caffeine, cognitive performance, nootropics supplement
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Caffeine supplementDietary supplement
Participants will attend the laboratory and undergo a battery of cognitive tests using electroencephalography (EEG) (Go/No-Go task, psychomotor vigilance test (PVT), Open-Closed eyes). Subsequently, participants will receive the Ubrain supplement. Participants will then complete a virtual reality (VR)-based driving simulator intervention, consisting of a total of 40 minutes of simulated driving. Finally, the same tests described above will be repeated to assess the effects of the dietary supplement on cognitive fatigue. After a one-week washout period, the treatment groups will be reversed.
PlaceboDietary supplement
Participants will attend the laboratory and undergo a battery of cognitive tests using electroencephalography (EEG) (Go/No-Go task, psychomotor vigilance test (PVT), Open-Closed eyes). Subsequently, participants will receive the placebo. Participants will then complete a virtual reality (VR)-based driving simulator intervention, consisting of a total of 40 minutes of simulated driving. Finally, the same tests described above will be repeated to assess the effects of the dietary supplement on cognitive fatigue. After a one-week washout period, the treatment groups will be reversed.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| UBrain group | Experimental | Ubrain in a supplement containing mostly caffeine and other components. Four pills (daily dose) contain 200 mg of caffeine. Receives: Dietary Supplement: Caffeine supplement |
| placebo | Placebo comparator | The placebo is composed of maltodextrins. Four pills contain 4 gr of carbohydrate. Receives: Dietary Supplement: Placebo |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Cognitive Fatigue
Cognitive fatigue will be assessed by examining changes in functional connectivity derived from the eyes-open and eyes-closed EEG recordings. Specifically, connectivity measures obtained before and after the driving simulation will be compared to evaluate changes associated with the 40-minute VR driving task. In addition, post-simulation connectivity measures will be compared between the placebo and UBrain conditions to determine whether supplementation attenuates or modulates the neurophysiological changes associated with prolonged cognitive demand. This approach is based on the rationale that sustained cognitive load and mental fatigue may be accompanied by alterations in functional brain connectivity, reflecting changes in the organization and efficiency of large-scale neural networks involved in attention, executive control, and information processing.
Measured: baseline and post drive simulation in the same session for both day 1 and day 2
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted1 Oct 2026
- Study startOct 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completionDec 2026 (estimated)
- Study completionJan 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for CaffeineStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Participant
- Enrolment
- 8 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Padova
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Antonio Paoli, Study director, University of Padua Department of Biomedical Sciences
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07852299
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- UBrain
- Status last verified
- Sep 2026
- First submitted
- 22 Sep 2026
- Last updated
- 5 Oct 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 5 Oct 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- The Effects of the Caffeine Supplement UBrain on Cognitive Fatigue and Performance in Motorsport Athletes After a Virtual Reality Drive Simulation
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07852299
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- UBrain
- Conditions
- Caffeine
- Keywords
- caffeine, cognitive performance, nootropics supplement
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Not yet recruiting
- Enrolment
- 8 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- University of PadovaUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- Oct 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- Dec 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Jan 2027 (estimated)
- First posted
- 1 Oct 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Motorsport drivers are now widely recognized as athletes in their own right, as they are required to cope with levels of physical and psychological stress comparable to those experienced in more conventional sports. However, cognitive function appears to play a particularly crucial role in motorsport athletes. Indeed, in competitive automobile racing, the ability to achieve and maintain high speeds depends to a large extent on cognitive information-processing abilities rather than solely on physical parameters.
Although these motor-cognitive abilities can be enhanced through specific training and coaching programs targeting both physical and psychological domains, to date, few studies in the scientific literature have investigated the potential psychophysiological benefits of sports supplementation in motorsport athletes. One aspect that warrants further investigation is the use of dietary supplements containing caffeine and nootropic compounds. Indeed, these supplementation has been shown to potentially enhance executive functions and working memory at the central level.
Therefore, the investigation of novel supplementation strategies with potential ergogenic effects on the psychophysiological performance of motorsport drivers remains important for optimizing both central and peripheral adaptations in this specific athletic population. To this end, the dietary supplement (UBrain) was selected for use in the present study.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Masking
- Single blind (participant)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| UBrain group | Experimental | Dietary Supplement: Caffeine supplementUbrain in a supplement containing mostly caffeine and other components. Four pills (daily dose) contain 200 mg of caffeine. |
| placebo | Placebo comparator | Dietary Supplement: PlaceboThe placebo is composed of maltodextrins. Four pills contain 4 gr of carbohydrate. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 35 years
- Sex
- Male only
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (2 listed)
- No evidence of cognitive impairment, defined as a final score of ≥26 on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA).
- Previous experience with on-track driving and/or driving simulation
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Medical history, signs, or symptoms of severe, uncontrolled, or unstable diabetes mellitus or cardiovascular, respiratory, hepatic, renal, thyroid, neurological, neuromuscular, peripheral vascular, or autoimmune disease.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Caffeine supplementParticipants will attend the laboratory and undergo a battery of cognitive tests using electroencephalography (EEG) (Go/No-Go task, psychomotor vigilance test (PVT), Open-Closed eyes). Subsequently, participants will receive the Ubrain supplement. Participants will then complete a virtual reality (VR)-based driving simulator intervention, consisting of a total of 40 minutes of simulated driving. Finally, the same tests described above will be repeated to assess the effects of the dietary supplement on cognitive fatigue. After a one-week washout period, the treatment groups will be reversed. | Dietary supplement | UBrain group |
| PlaceboParticipants will attend the laboratory and undergo a battery of cognitive tests using electroencephalography (EEG) (Go/No-Go task, psychomotor vigilance test (PVT), Open-Closed eyes). Subsequently, participants will receive the placebo. Participants will then complete a virtual reality (VR)-based driving simulator intervention, consisting of a total of 40 minutes of simulated driving. Finally, the same tests described above will be repeated to assess the effects of the dietary supplement on cognitive fatigue. After a one-week washout period, the treatment groups will be reversed. | Dietary supplement | placebo |
Primary outcome
Cognitive Fatigue
Time frame: baseline and post drive simulation in the same session for both day 1 and day 2
Cognitive fatigue will be assessed by examining changes in functional connectivity derived from the eyes-open and eyes-closed EEG recordings. Specifically, connectivity measures obtained before and after the driving simulation will be compared to evaluate changes associated with the 40-minute VR driving task. In addition, post-simulation connectivity measures will be compared between the placebo and UBrain conditions to determine whether supplementation attenuates or modulates the neurophysiological changes associated with prolonged cognitive demand. This approach is based on the rationale that sustained cognitive load and mental fatigue may be accompanied by alterations in functional brain connectivity, reflecting changes in the organization and efficiency of large-scale neural networks involved in attention, executive control, and information processing.
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 5 Oct 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
Antonio Paoli study director
University of Padua Department of Biomedical Sciences
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Caffeine supplement in people with Caffeine, run by University of Padova at 1 site in Italy.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 2 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 5 Oct 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Italy. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Antonio Paoli (0498275318, antonio.paoli@unipd.it), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Cognitive Fatigue (time frame: baseline and post drive simulation in the same session for both day 1 and day 2). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 5 Oct 2026.