status report - Office of Dietary Supplements - National Institutes of ...

• Scannell, K.M., Marriott, B.M. and Costello, R.B. (1995) The role of dietary supplements for
physically active people: January 1966 through April 1996. U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services, Public Health Service, National Institutes of Health, National Library of
Medicine, Reference Section, Pittsburgh, PA
On-the-Spot Award of Merit:
• Kristin Scannell, National Library of Medicine was given an On-the-Spot Award for her
significant contributions to the ODS conference, “The Role of Dietary Supplements for
Physically Active People,” and to the development of a Current Bibliography in Medicine for
the conference.
The Role of Dietary Supplements in Brain Function, A Poster Workshop
The ODS initiated and supported the participation of speakers in a poster workshop,
“Supplemental Nutrients and Brain Function” at the Sixteenth International Congress on
Nutrition. This poster workshop highlighted the most recent advances relating nutrient
supplementation with cognitive function and psychological disorders. Poster presenters are
independently publishing their results. This session helped identify for the ODS emerging areas
of supplement research related to brain function. Workshop held: July 29, 1997, Montréal,
Québec, Canada.
Goal 3: Explore the biochemical and cellular effects of dietary supplements on biological
systems and their physiological impact across the life cycle.
ACTIVITIES IN PROGRESS:
Modulation of Olfactory Circuits, A Scientific Study
The ODS is co-sponsoring with the National Institute on Deafness and Other
Communicative Disorders a project at Florida State University to examine the actions of zinc and
copper, two metals that are essential for proper brain development and function. The appropriate
balance of these metals is strongly influenced by dietary components. Deficiencies or excesses
of copper and/or zinc have been associated with a number of neuropathologic effects in humans,
such as epilepsy and stroke. The primary goal of these basic research studies is to explore the
modulatory actions of zinc, copper, and carnosine on several neurotransmitters (chemical
messengers) expressed by olfactory bulb neurons in cultured tissue cells to focus on their role in
synaptic transmission. Starting date: 1998.
Potential Role of Dietary Tryptophan in Preventing Alcoholism in Native Americans, A
Scientific Study
In conjunction with the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, the ODS is
funding a study by Brown University investigators to examine the association between low blood
levels of the amino acid, tryptophan, and increased levels of alcohol abuse and dependency in
Native Americans. Low dietary intakes of tryptophan may result from a habitual diet that is high
in carbohydrates and low in quality proteins. Since tryptophan is a precursor to serotonin, a
neurotransmitter important in nerve function, the investigators hypothesize that Native American
populations may be at risk for alcohol-related problems due to inadequate consumption of
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