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Vol.30 No.2, pp. 84-88

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Review

  • Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
  • Volume 22(2); 2015
  • Article

Review

Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry 2015;22(2):63-77. Published online: Feb, 1, 2015

Abstract PDF Full Text

Effects of the Combination Herbal Extract on Working Memory and White Matter Integrity in Healthy Individuals with Subjective Memory Complaints : A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial

  • Oran Kwon, PhD1,2,3;Sunho Lee, BS1,4;Soonhyun Ban, MS1,5;Jooyeon J. Im, MS1,4;Doo Suk Lee, KMD6;Eun Hee Lee, MD7;Joohee Kim, PhD2,3;Soo Mee Lim, MD1,8;Sang Gon Lee, MD7;Ilhyang Kang, BS1,5;Kyung-Hee Kim, MD, MS9;Sujung Yoon, MD1; and Sun Hea Lee, MD1;
    1;Ewha Brain Institute, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, 2;Department of Nutritional Science and Food Management, College of Health Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, 3;BioFood Network, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, 4;Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, 5;Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Graduate School, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, 6;School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, 7;Green Cross Laboratories, Yongin, 8;Department of Radiology, College of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, 9;Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Sejong General Hospital, Bucheon, Korea
Abstract

Objectives : The combination extract of four kinds of herbs, Gastrodia elata, Liriope platyphylla, Dimocarpus longan, and Salvia miltiorrhiza, has shown to have memory improving effects in mice. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of the herbal mixture for improving working memory as well as microstructural changes in white matter integrity in individuals with subjective memory complaints.

Methods : Seventy-five individuals with subjective memory complaints were assigned to receive either placebo (n = 15) or herbal mixture (low-dose group, n = 30 and high-dose group, n = 30) supplementation in an 8-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Changes in working memory performance and fractional anisotropy (FA) values reflecting white matter integrity from baseline to 8-week endpoint were assessed.

Results : The herbal mixture group showed an increase in working memory performance compared to the placebo group (p for interaction = 0.001). In addition, the herbal mixture group showed an increase in FA values in the temporo-parietal regions (corrected p < 0.05), which are crucially involved in working memory function and are among the most affected regions in patients with cognitive impairments.

Conclusions : Findings from this study indicate that the herbal mixture may be a promising therapeutic option for individuals with subjective memory complaints.

Keywords Combination herbal extract;Working memory;Diffusion tensor imaging;White matter integrity;Subjective memory complaints.