What is the Ginkgo biloba for the Evaluation of Memory (GEM) study?
The GEM study is the largest clinical trial ever to evaluate the effects of the dietary supplement Ginkgo biloba on the occurrence of dementia. The study tested the effectiveness of 120 milligrams of ginkgo twice daily versus placebo in lowering the incidence of dementia, in general, and Alzheimer’s disease (AD), specifically, in normal elderly people and those with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Researchers led by Steven T. DeKosky, M.D., formerly of the University of Pittsburgh, now Vice President and Dean of the School of Medicine at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, conducted the 8-year study at four clinical sites. This research was co-funded by five components of the National Institutes of Health (NIH): National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM); National Institute on Aging; National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, and the Office of Dietary Supplements.
