Red ginseng boosts Alzheimer's memory: study
Health supplements made of red ginseng / Korea Times
By Ko Dong-hwan
A Korean study has shown that red ginseng dried in the sun or steamed can improve the memory of Alzheimer’s patients, opening a new path to treating dementia.
A team from the Seoul Medical Center’s neurology department tested the plant’s potency on 14 patients, who ate 4.5 grams of red ginseng every day for 12 weeks.
The team then administered a frontal assessment battery (FAB) test and an electroencephalography.
The FAB examines the brain’s frontal lobe, a region linked to cognitive ability. If lobe is dysfunctional, it causes memory loss and disables logical thinking.
The test result showed the patients’ average score of 9.07 out of 18 before the intake of red ginseng jumped to 10.5. The electroencephalography result also showed the patients emitted more active alpha waves, which are linked to memory and thinking.
“The test analysis confirmed that red ginseng stimulates the frontal lobe by increasing alpha waves,” the team said in a statement.
“Consistent intake of red ginseng will thus improve dementia patients’ memory.”
The study result, announced on Thursday, features in the latest issue of “Alternative and Complementary Medicine.”