Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Cognitive Enhancers: Cholinesterase Inhibitors and NMDA Receptor Antagonists

Cognitive Enhancers: Cholinesterase Inhibitors and NMDA Receptor Antagonists

Cognitive enhancers, also known as "smart drugs," are substances used to enhance memory, mental alertness, and concentration. These can be natural or synthetic and improve cognition in conditions like Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative diseases. Some common examples include caffeine, amphetamines, methylphenidate, modafinil, arecoline, donepezil, vortioxetine, and piracetam. These enhancers work on the principle of synaptic plasticity and altered circuit function. They...

Alzheimer's Disease: Treatment

Alzheimer's Disease: Treatment

Alzheimer's Disease (AD), a neurodegenerative disorder, is pathologically identified by amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles composed of tau protein. AD pharmacotherapy aims to manage cognitive symptoms, delay disease progression, and treat behavioral symptoms. The treatment is primarily symptomatic and palliative, with no definitive disease-modifying therapy available. Cholinesterase inhibitors, including donepezil (Aricept), rivastigmine (Exelon), and galantamine (Razadyne), are...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Nurture, Pleasure and <i>Read and Resist!</i>: Abolition Feminist Methodology for a Collective Recovery?

Feminist legal studies·2021

Same author

A clinical trial to validate event-related potential markers of Alzheimer's disease in outpatient settings.

Alzheimer's & dementia (Amsterdam, Netherlands)·2016

Same author

A randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled, parallel group, efficacy study of alpha BRAIN® administered orally.

Human psychopharmacology·2016

Same author

The imagination inflation effect in healthy older adults and patients with mild Alzheimer's disease.

Neuropsychology·2015

Same author

Correlational analysis of 5 commonly used measures of cognitive functioning and mental status: an update.

American journal of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias·2014

Same author

Memory for the 2008 presidential election in healthy ageing and mild cognitive impairment.

Cognition & emotion·2014

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 3, 2026

Working Memory Training for Older Participants: A Control Group Training Regimen and Initial Intellectual Functioning Assessment

Working Memory Training for Older Participants: A Control Group Training Regimen and Initial Intellectual Functioning Assessment

Published on: September 20, 2020

Ginkgo for memory enhancement: a randomized controlled trial.

Paul R Solomon¹, Felicity Adams, Amanda Silver

¹Bronfman Science Center, Williams College, 33 Hoxsey St, Williamstown, MA 01267, USA. psolomon@williams.edu

|August 21, 2002

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

This study found that ginkgo supplements did not improve memory or cognitive function in healthy older adults. Ginkgo biloba provided no measurable benefit for memory, attention, or concentration in this 6-week trial.

More Related Videos

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) for Memory Enhancement

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) for Memory Enhancement

Published on: September 18, 2021

Orienteering as a Tool for Cognitive Research: An Implementation Guide

Orienteering as a Tool for Cognitive Research: An Implementation Guide

Published on: November 29, 2024

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 3, 2026

Working Memory Training for Older Participants: A Control Group Training Regimen and Initial Intellectual Functioning Assessment

Working Memory Training for Older Participants: A Control Group Training Regimen and Initial Intellectual Functioning Assessment

Published on: September 20, 2020

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) for Memory Enhancement

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) for Memory Enhancement

Published on: September 18, 2021

Orienteering as a Tool for Cognitive Research: An Implementation Guide

Orienteering as a Tool for Cognitive Research: An Implementation Guide

Published on: November 29, 2024

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Gerontology
Pharmacology

Background:

Many over-the-counter products claim to enhance cognitive functions like memory and attention within weeks.
Scientific evidence supporting these claims is often lacking, with few well-controlled clinical studies.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the efficacy of ginkgo biloba in improving memory in elderly adults.
To assess cognitive enhancement using objective neuropsychological tests and subjective ratings.

Main Methods:

A 6-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 219 healthy adults over 60.
Participants received either ginkgo (40 mg three times daily) or a placebo.
Cognitive function was assessed using standardized neuropsychological tests and self/caregiver reports.

Main Results:

No significant differences were observed between the ginkgo and placebo groups across all measured cognitive outcomes.
Both intent-to-treat and fully evaluable populations showed no improvement in memory, attention, or verbal fluency.
Subjective memory ratings and global impressions of change also did not differ between groups.

Conclusions:

Ginkgo biloba, when taken as directed, did not demonstrate any measurable benefit for memory or related cognitive functions in cognitively healthy elderly adults.
The study suggests that ginkgo is not effective for enhancing cognitive performance in this population.
Findings challenge the marketing claims of ginkgo supplements for cognitive improvement.