The research was the work of the Ginkgo Evaluation of Memory (GEM) Study Investigators who are based at centers throughout the US, including the University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was working at the time of the investigation. Ginkgo biloba is taken by many people because of claims that it benefits memory and cognition and in some parts of the world it is prescribed for such. But there have been no substantial clinical trials to evaluate the effectiveness of the supplement in the primary prevention of dementia, wrote the authors.
The randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial included 3,069 community-dwelling volunteers aged 75 and over and took place at five US medical research centers between 2000 and 2008. About half the volunteers were given a twice daily dose of 120mg extract of Ginkgo biloba and the other half took a placebo. None of the participants showed signs more advanced than mild cognitive impairment at the start (2,587 had normal cognition while 482 had mild cognitive impairment). They were followed for a median period of 6.1 years during which time they underwent 6-monthly assessments for dementia.
The results showed that:
During the period of the study, 523 participants were diagnosed with dementia: 16.1 per cent (246) in the placebo group and 17.9 per cent (277) in the Ginkgo biloba group.
92 per cent of all the dementia cases were classed as possible or probable Alzheimer's Disease (AD), or AD with evidence of the tell-tale signs of AD in the brain (vascular disease that shows as changes in the blood vessels).
The overall prevalence rate of dementia did not differ significantly between the two groups: 3.3 dementia cases per 100 persons per year of exposure for the Gingko biloba group and 2.9 per 100 for the placebo group.
There was a similar lack of significance for Alzheimer's prevalence: 3.0 persons per 100 per year of exposure in the Gingko biloba group and 2.6 per 100 in the placebo group.
Ginkgo biloba appeared to have no impact on the rate of progression to dementia in the participants who had mild cognitive impairment.
There were no significant differences between the groups in the rate of side effects.
The authors concluded that: Based on the results of this trial, Ginkgo biloba cannot be recommended for the purpose of preventing dementia. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com
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posted by Valery Yermalitsky at
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