Register for Six weeks of ginkgo supplement does not improve memory, learning, concentration
Complementary and Alternative MedicineSeptember 23, 2002
The supplement ginkgo did not enhance memory or improve cognitive ability for healthy older adults with no cognitive impairment, in a randomized, placebo-controlled study, according to an article in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
According to background information in the article, several over-the-counter treatments are marketed as having the ability to improve memory, attention, and related cognitive functions in as little as 4 weeks. These claims, however, are generally not supported by well-controlled clinical studies.
Paul R. Solomon, PhD, of Williams College, Williamstown, Massachusetts, and colleagues conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of the effects on memory and cognition of ginkgo, an over-the-counter agent marketed as enhancing memory. From July 1996 to September 1998, the researchers enrolled 98 men and 132 women aged 60 years old or older who were in good health and had no cognitive impairments.
Participants had to have contact with a relative, friend or neighbor at least four times a week for more than 1 hour so that information on cognitive status could be gathered. One hundred fifteen participants received ginkgo (40 mg, three times per day), and 115 received matching placebo, for 6 weeks.
Each participant completed a number of standardized neuropsychological tests of learning, memory, attention and concentration and filled out questionnaires regarding his or her memory and attention, before, during and after the study period. Companions filled out questionnaires on their impressions of the participant's change, if any.
"The results of this 6-week study indicate that ginkgo did not facilitate performance on [14] standard neuropsychological tests of learning, memory, attention, and concentration or naming and verbal fluency in elderly adults without cognitive impairment," the authors wrote. "The ginkgo group also did not differ from the control group [placebo group] in terms of self-reported memory function or global rating by spouses, friends and relatives" (JAMA, 2002; 288:835-840; available at jama.com).
The authors concluded that, "These data suggest that when taken following the manufacturer's instructions, ginkgo provides no measurable benefit in memory or related cognitive function in adults with healthy cognitive function."
This work was supported by grants from the National Institute on Aging, the Howard Hughes Medical Foundation, and the Essel Foundation. This article was prepared by Pain & Central Nervous System Week editors from staff and other reports.
©Copyright 2002, via NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net
