Effects of Ginkgo Biloba Extract on Working Memory
Author Information
Author(s): R. B. Silberstein, A. Pipingas, J. Song, D. A. Camfield, P. J. Nathan, C. Stough
Primary Institution: Centre for Human Psychopharmacology, Swinburne University
Hypothesis
Chronic administration of Ginkgo Biloba extract will improve working memory performance in healthy middle-aged individuals.
Conclusion
The study found that Ginkgo Biloba extract improved accuracy in a working memory task and indicated increased synaptic inhibition in specific brain regions.
Supporting Evidence
- Participants showed an increase in accuracy from 71.7% to 76.8% after Ginkgo Biloba treatment.
- SSVEP amplitude increased at frontal and parietal sites during the working memory task.
- SSVEP latency increased at left temporal and left prefrontal sites after Ginkgo Biloba treatment.
Takeaway
Taking Ginkgo Biloba for two weeks can help people remember things better, especially for older adults.
Methodology
Nineteen healthy middle-aged males participated in a randomized double-blind crossover study, receiving Ginkgo Biloba extract and placebo for 14 days each while performing a working memory task.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to the funding from a company that supplied the Ginkgo Biloba extract.
Limitations
The study was limited to a small sample size of healthy middle-aged males, which may not generalize to other populations.
Participant Demographics
Nineteen right-handed males aged 50-61 years.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.037
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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