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.
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Acknowledgements
We would like to thank Keenmind Pty Ltd for supplying the Brahmi and placebo for this study, all of our participants, and Pradeep Nathan and two anonymous reviewers for comments on drafts of this article.
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Roodenrys, S., Booth, D., Bulzomi, S. et al. Chronic Effects of Brahmi (Bacopa monnieri) on Human Memory. Neuropsychopharmacol 27, 279–281 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1016/S0893-133X(01)00419-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0893-133X(01)00419-5
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