title: The acute nootropic effects of Ginkgo biloba in healthy older human subjects: a preliminary investigation.
abstract: Ginkgo biloba has been shown to have chronic memory enhancing effects in healthy subjects and patients with dementia. There is limited research on the acute nootropic effects of Ginkgo biloba in humans. The current study aimed to examine the acute effects of Ginkgo biloba (120 mg) on memory functioning in healthy older volunteers using the cognitive drug research (CDR) battery of memory tests and the Rey auditory verbal learning task (AVLT). The study was a double-blind placebo-controlled design, with each participant tested under both placebo and Ginkgo biloba treatment conditions. Testing was conducted pre- and 90 min post-drug administration for each treatment condition. Treatment conditions were separated by a 7 day wash out period. No acute effects of Ginkgo biloba were found for any of the memory tests examined. The findings suggest that 120 mg of Ginkgo biloba has no acute nootropic effects in healthy older humans.
authors.affiliation: Neuropharmacology Laboratory, Brain Sciences Institute, Swinburne University of Technology, Australia. pnathan@bsi.swin.edu.au
authors.forename: Pradeep J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Nathan
authors.forename: Emily
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ricketts
authors.forename: Keith
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wesnes
authors.forename: Ludek
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mrazek
authors.forename: Warick
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Greville
authors.forename: Con
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stough
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D020441:Ginkgo biloba; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D018697:Nootropic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D018697:Nootropic Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts