Improvement of memory in healthy elderly subjects by Shentai Tea Polyphenols / 中华神经医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To investigate the effect of Shentai Tea Polyphenols on memory and its underlying mechanism in healthy elderly adults.Methods:According to the randomized, double blind and placebo-controlled prospective experimental design, 240 healthy middle-aged or elderly subjects with normal objective cognition were recruited in our hospital from April to December 2019 through advertising, and they were randomly divided into an experimental group ( n=120) and a control group ( n=120). Oral administration of Shentai Tea Polyphenols or placebo capsules (lasting for 90 d, 2 times/d, 2 capsules/time) was given to subjects in the two groups. The neuropsychological scale scores and near-infrared brain imaging data of all subjects were collected before and after intervention, and the mean time from baseline data collection before intervention to follow-up data collection after medication was controlled within 6 months. Results:In patients from the experimental group, as compared with those before intervention, scores of delayed recall and recognition memory in the auditory verbal learning test (Huashan version) and Boston naming test, scores of Montreal cognitive assessment scale (basis version) were significantly higher, and scores of Hamilton anxiety scale, shape trails test A and rapid-eye-movement sleep behavior disorder screening questionnaire were significantly lower after intervention ( P<0.05); however, only scores of delayed recall in the auditory verbal learning test (Huashan version) were significantly increased in the control group ( P<0.05). A total of 23 pairs of differences of brain function connection before and after intervention in the experimental group were significantly higher than those in the control group ( P<0.05), mainly involving the function connection of forehead peak network (FPN), and function connection of FPN-default network, function connection of FPN-somatosensory movement network, function connection of FPN-dorsal attention network and function connection of FPN-visual network, as well as the function connection of default network and somatosensory movement network. Conclusion:Shentai Tea Polyphenols can improve cognitive performances including memory, language and executive function, anxiety mood and sleep quality in healthy middle aged or elderly subjects by affecting the functional connections of the networks in the brain.