The Medical University of South Carolina has initiated a voluntary, double-blind placebo trial to determine if omega-3 fatty acid supplements can help improve brain function in high-performing soldiers.
The U.S. Army said Monday military personnel taking the Infantry Basic Officer Leaders Course at Fort Benning can sign up for the Ranger Resilience and Improved Performance study.
“We are studying concepts such as decision-making and attention and impulsivity, and we’re doing this with computer-based cognitive tests,” said Bernadette Marriott, a professor and director of the nutrition section of MUSC’s gastroenterology and hepatology.
“We’re hoping to learn if we can improve cognitive performances under stress, because these young people, who are going through (the Infantry Basic Officer Leadership Course) and Ranger (school), are clearly under stress during specific times in their programs,” Marriott added.
The medical study will run through the spring of 2018, according to the service branch.
MUSC aims to publish findings in scientific journals and make research data available to Infantry Basic Officer Leadership Course and Ranger School officials as well as study volunteers and interested organizations.
