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- Korean Red Ginseng (Panax ginseng, Araliaceae)
- Alzheimer's Disease
- Cognitive Function
- Electroencephalography
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Date:
10-14-2016 | HC# 041622-554
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Re: Korean Red Ginseng Improves Frontal Lobe Function and Increases Right Temporal Alpha Waves in Patients with Alzheimer's Disease
Heo
JH, Park MH, Lee JH. Effect of Korean
red ginseng on cognitive function and quantitative EEG in patients with Alzheimer's
disease: a preliminary study. J
Altern Complement Med. April 2016;22(4):280-285.
Alzheimer's
disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease that results in loss of cognitive
function. Electroencephalography (EEG) is used to measure the electrical
activity of the brain. AD often alters brain activity and EEG studies show that
anti-dementia medications increase brain activity in the higher frequencies and
reduce brain activity in lower frequencies. Studies suggest that Korean red
ginseng (KRG; Panax ginseng,
Araliaceae) root provides neuroprotective effects and may slow the progression
of AD. The goal of this preliminary uncontrolled study was to measure the
effect of KRG on cognitive function and quantitative EEG in patients with AD.
Fourteen
patients with AD were recruited from Seoul Medical Center in Seoul, South
Korea. The average age of the patients was 74.93 ± 7.63. The National Institute
of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke–Alzheimer's Disease and
Related Disorders Association criteria were used to diagnose AD. Patients were
excluded if they had psychiatric disorders, seizures, cognitive impairment due
to stroke, neoplasia, infection, or hypoxic brain injury. Patients were also
excluded if they were taking medications that affected brain function, such as
psychoactive drugs or antidepressants.
Powdered
KRG (Korea Tobacco & Ginseng Corporation; Daedeok District, Daejeon, South
Korea) 6-year-old root was provided in capsules. Patients took 4.5 g of KRG per
day for 12 weeks. The Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB) and Korean Mini-Mental
State Examination (K-MMSE) were administered before treatment began and at the
end of treatment. The FAB measures frontal lobe function and the K-MMSE
measures global cognition. Quantitative EEG, monitoring 17 sites, was performed
at the beginning and end of treatment.
No
change was found in the K-MMSE score after treatment with KRG. However, FAB
scores increased significantly (P < 0.05) after treatment with KRG; when
patients were divided into non-responders (no change or decrease in FAB, n = 5)
and responders (increase in FAB, n = 9) to KRG, the significance was P <
0.01 for the responder group.
For
the quantitative EEG analysis, data were evaluated based on whether patients
were responders or non-responders. Baseline EEG data did not significantly
differ between responders and non-responders. After treatment, the responders
had no significant change in relative delta power, a significant increase in relative
alpha power in the right temporal area and relative theta power in the left
parietal area, and a decrease in relative beta power in the right central area compared
to baseline (P < 0.05 for all). Non-responders had no significant change in relative
beta power, significant decreases in relative alpha power in many areas, and significant
increases in relative delta power in the right occipital area and relative
theta power in many areas compared to baseline (P < 0.05 for all).
The
change in relative alpha power in the right hemisphere was significantly greater
in the responders than in non-responders, especially in the right temporal area.
Responders had increased relative alpha power in the occipital, parietal, and
temporal areas of the brain, while non-responders had decreased relative alpha power
in these areas (P < 0.05, 0.05, and 0.01, respectively). The changes in the
other waves showed no significant differences.
Based
on FAB scores, KRG improved frontal lobe function in patients with AD. Despite
the observed increase in FAB scores, relative alpha power did not increase in
the frontal areas; it increased only in posterior areas, especially the
temporal area. This positive effect on quantitative EEG at the temporal lobe
may be associated with enhanced memory function. Other studies have found that
KRG improves cognition, including memory in patients with AD. The authors
speculate that the study period may have been too short to produce a
significant change in K-MMSE score.
The
study was limited by its very small sample size, lack of a control, and relatively
short duration. The authors suggest that additional studies are warranted to
further elucidate the effect of KRG in patients with AD.
This
study was supported by grants from the Korean Society of Ginseng 2012, funded
by Korea Ginseng Corporation.
—Cheryl
McCutchan, PhD
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