Mix, J. A. and Crews, W. D. Jr.

A double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial of Ginkgo biloba extract EGb 761® in a sample of cognitively intact older adults.
Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental, 2002, 17 (6), 267-277
 

There's good news for elderly people hoping to stave off one of the most common effects of getting older.. memory loss. According to a recently completed large-scale clinical study, Ginkgo biloba extract EGb 761® enhances cognitive functions in healthy, cognitively intact older adults. Doctors Joseph Mix and David Crews studied 262 healthy people 60 years of age and older, and found that those taking the extract showed clearly improved memory in 11 of 13 testing areas.

For patients suffering from Alzheimer´s disease, treatment with Ginkgo biloba extract EGb 761® is already an accepted standard therapy in various countries. However, whether the same special extract also enhances cognitive functions in healthy elderly people has only been evaluated in trials with a limited number of participants.

The lack of large-scale clinical trials to examine the efficacy of Ginkgo biloba extract EGb 761® on the neuropsychological functioning of cognitively intact older adults prompted Mix and Crews to undertake this study. The authors considered the study to be particularly significant in view of the large number of Ginkgo biloba products currently being marketed over-the-counter to enhance cognitive performance.

At the beginning and at the end of the six week study, participants were examined with respect to memory, attention and their ability to concentrate using standardized neuropsychological tests. At the end of the study period, participants were asked to answer a self rating questionnaire, especially with regard to whether they felt that their memory had improved during the course of the study.

The authors found that participants receiving 180 mg of Dr. Willmar Schwabe Pharmaceuticals' special extract EGb 761® showed a significant improvement in selective reminding tasks (SRT) involving delayed free recall (p < 0.04) and recognition (p < 0.01) when compared to those individuals receiving placebo only. In addition,significantly more participants in the EGb 761® group rated their memory to be improved. These overall findings provide clear evidence for the potential efficacy of Ginkgo biloba EGb 761® in enhancing certain neuropsychological/memory processes in cognitively intact adults of 60 years of age and over.

Furthermore, the excellent safety profile and tolerability of EGb 761® was once again demonstrated within the course of this study. Out of a total of 32 minor adverse events only 12 were experienced by participants receiving Ginkgo medication, whereas 20 events were recorded in the placebo group.

Link to the Pubmed abstract of above publication