1. Chronic effects of Brahmi (Bacopa monnieri) on human memory.
- Author
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Roodenrys S, Booth D, Bulzomi S, Phipps A, Micallef C, and Smoker J
- Subjects
- Adult, Aged, Double-Blind Method, Female, Hippocampus drug effects, Hippocampus physiology, Humans, Learning physiology, Male, Memory physiology, Memory Disorders psychology, Middle Aged, Neuropsychological Tests, Plant Preparations therapeutic use, Time Factors, Treatment Outcome, Verbal Behavior drug effects, Verbal Behavior physiology, Learning drug effects, Medicine, Ayurvedic, Memory drug effects, Memory Disorders drug therapy, Phytotherapy, Plant Preparations pharmacology
- Abstract
A study is reported on the effects of Brahmi (Bacopa monniera) on human memory. Seventy-six adults aged between 40 and 65 years took part in a double-blind randomized, placebo control study in which various memory functions were tested and levels of anxiety measured. There were three testing sessions: one prior to the trial, one after three months on the trial, and one six weeks after the completion of the trial. The results show a significant effect of the Brahmi on a test for the retention of new information. Follow-up tests showed that the rate of learning was unaffected, suggesting that Brahmi decreases the rate of forgetting of newly acquired information. Tasks assessing attention, verbal and visual short-term memory and the retrieval of pre-experimental knowledge were unaffected. Questionnaire measures of everyday memory function and anxiety levels were also unaffected.
- Published
- 2002
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