@article{549c6585132f4d049ab5344484183cbd,
title = "Ginkgo biloba does not improve cognitive function in MS A randomized placebo-controlled trial",
abstract = "Objective: To determine whether Ginkgo biloba extract (ginkgo) improves cognitive function in persons with multiple sclerosis (MS). Methods: Persons with MS from the Seattle and Portland VA clinics and adjacent communities who scored 1 SD or more below the mean on one of 4 neuropsychological tests (Stroop Test, California Verbal Learning Test II [CVLT-II], Controlled Oral Word Association Test [COWAT], and Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task [PASAT]) were randomly assigned to receive either one 120-mg tablet of ginkgo (EGb-761; Willmar Schwabe GmbH and Co, Germany) or one placebo tablet twice a day for 12 weeks. As the primary outcome, we compared the performance of the 2 groups on the 4 tests at exit after adjusting for baseline performance. Results: Fifty-nine subjects received placebo and 61 received ginkgo; 1 participant receiving placebo and 3 receiving ginkgo were lost to follow-up. Two serious adverse events (AEs) (myocardial infarction and severe depression) believed to be unrelated to the treatment occurred in the ginkgo group; otherwise, there were no significant differences in AEs. The differences (ginkgo-placebo) at exit in the z scores for the cognitive tests were as follows: PASAT -0.2 (95% confidence interval [CI]-0.5 to 0.1); Stroop Test-0.5 (95% CI-0.9 to-0.1); COWAT 0.0 (95% CI-0.2 to 0.3); and CVLT-II 0.0 (95% CI -0.3 to 0.3); none was statistically significant. Conclusions: Treatment with ginkgo 120 mg twice a day did not improve cognitive performance in persons with MS. Classification of evidence: This study provides Class I evidence that treatment with ginkgo 120 mg twice a day for 12 weeks does not improve cognitive performance in people with MS.",
author = "Lovera, {Jesus F.} and Edward Kim and Elizabeth Heriza and Mary Fitzpatrick and James Hunziker and Turner, {Aaron P.} and Joshua Adams and Thomas Stover and Adam Sangeorzan and Alicia Sloan and Diane Howieson and Katherine Wild and Jodie Haselkorn and Dennis Bourdette",
note = "Funding Information: Study funding: Supported by the Department of Veterans Affair, Office of Research and Development, Rehabilitation Research and Development. The contents of this manuscript do not represent the views of the Department of Veterans Affairs or the US government. Funding Information: J. Lovera is funded by NIH NCCAM K23AT004433 and has received compensation from EMD Serono and TEVA Pharmaceuticals for conducting educational activities for physicians. He is on the speakers' bureau for Biogen Idec and EMD Serono. E. Kim has received honoraria from Biogen Idec for conducting educational activities for physicians. E. Heriza, M. Fitzpatrick, and J. Hunziker report no disclosures. A. Turner is funded by a Rehabilitation Research and Development Service Career Development Award (B4927W) and by VA RR&D I01 RX000223–01A1. J. Adams, T. Stover, and A. Sangeorzan report no disclosures. A. Sloan received travel expenses from Paralyzed Veterans of America and Consortium of MS Centers for serving as faculty in conferences. D. Howieson is funded by NSF BCS 0826654 and NIH/NIA P30 AG008017 grants. K. Wild is funded by NIH/NIA grants P30 AG008017 and R01 AG024059 . J. Haselkorn received compensation from Paralyzed Veterans of America for travel to their Education Planning Committee and to the MS Summit conference; she is funded by VA Merit Review Grants 11–2705, 05–2706, B4368R, and RDIS 01104 and VA Cooperative Studies 558 . D. Bourdette has received honoraria and travel expenses for speaking and serving as faculty at company sponsored meetings from Biogen Idec, Serono, and Teva Neurosciences. He is funded by the following grants: NIH/NINDS 1P30 NS069346–01, NIH/NINDS 1R01 NS057433 , Department of Veterans Affairs/BLR&D Merit Review, Department of Veterans Affairs/RR&D B4368R; and National MS Society, CA 1055-A-3 . Go to Neurology.org for full disclosures. ",
year = "2012",
month = sep,
day = "18",
doi = "10.1212/WNL.0b013e31826aac60",
language = "English (US)",
volume = "79",
pages = "1278--1284",
journal = "Neurology",
issn = "0028-3878",
publisher = "Lippincott Williams and Wilkins",
number = "12",
}