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A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of resveratrol for Alzheimer disease
Turner RS, Thomas RG, Craft S, van Dyck CH, Mintzer J, Reynolds BA, Brewer JB, Rissman RA et al.. Neurology, 2015-09-11
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Objective A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, multicenter 52-week phase 2 trial of resveratrol in individuals with mild to moderate Alzheimer disease (AD) examined its safety and tolerability and effects on biomarker (plasma Aβ40 and Aβ42, CSF Aβ40, Aβ42, tau, and phospho-tau 181) and volumetric MRI outcomes (primary outcomes) and clinical outcomes (secondary outcomes). Methods Participants (n = 119) were randomized to placebo or resveratrol 500 mg orally once daily (with dose escalation by 500-mg increments every 13 weeks, ending with 1,000 mg twice daily). Brain MRI and CSF collection were performed at baseline and after completion of treatment. Detailed pharmacokinetics were performed on a subset (n = 15) at baseline and weeks 13, 26, 39, and 52. Results Resveratrol and its major metabolites were measurable in plasma and CSF. The most common adverse events were nausea, diarrhea, and weight loss. CSF Aβ40 and plasma Aβ40 levels declined more in the placebo group than the resveratrol-treated group, resulting in a significant difference at week 52. Brain volume loss was increased by resveratrol treatment compared to placebo. Conclusions Resveratrol was safe and well-tolerated. Resveratrol and its major metabolites penetrated the blood-brain barrier to have CNS effects. Further studies are required to interpret the biomarker changes associated with resveratrol treatment. Classification of evidence This study provides Class II evidence that for patients with AD resveratrol is safe, well-tolerated, and alters some AD biomarker trajectories. The study is rated Class II because more than 2 primary outcomes were designated.
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APA 7th
Turner, R. S., Thomas, R. G., Craft, S., van Dyck, C. H., Mintzer, J., Reynolds, B. A., et al. (2015). A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of resveratrol for Alzheimer disease. Neurology. https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.0000000000002035
Vancouver
Turner RS, Thomas RG, Craft S, van Dyck CH, Mintzer J, Reynolds BA, et al. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of resveratrol for Alzheimer disease. Neurology. 2015. doi:10.1212/wnl.0000000000002035. PMID: 26362286.
BibTeX
@article{turner2015-26362286,
author = {Turner, R. S. and Thomas, R. G. and Craft, S. and van Dyck, C. H. and Mintzer, J. and Reynolds, B. A. and Brewer, J. B. and Rissman, R. A. and others},
title = {{A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of resveratrol for Alzheimer disease}},
journal = {Neurology},
year = {2015},
doi = {10.1212/wnl.0000000000002035},
pmid = {26362286},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.0000000000002035}
}
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Key findings
- Results Resveratrol and its major metabolites were measurable in plasma and CSF.
- CSF Aβ40 and plasma Aβ40 levels declined more in the placebo group than the resveratrol-treated group, resulting in a significant difference at week 52.
- Brain volume loss was increased by resveratrol treatment compared to placebo.
- Further studies are required to interpret the biomarker changes associated with resveratrol treatment.
Why it matters
In this 52-week phase 2 trial of 119 people with mild to moderate Alzheimer disease, resveratrol was safe and well-tolerated and its metabolites reached the brain, but brain volume loss was increased compared with placebo. The authors state that further studies are required to interpret the biomarker changes associated with resveratrol treatment.
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Study details
- Study designclinical trial
- Participants119
- Evidence strengthHigh
How this study scored 81/100
Published in a leading specialty journal, and it is a randomised controlled trial. Scored zero for effect reported because the record does not state it. We have no data on senior author's track record, so that was left out: it earned 78 of the 96 points we could judge it on, which is 81 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (Neurology) |
| Journal's citation record | 4 / 4 | Neurology: journal h-index 525 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 11 / 12 | A randomised controlled trial (from PubMed type “Randomized Controlled Trial”) |
| Strength of evidence | 5 / 5 | Rated “high” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2015 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 2 / 4 | 119 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 2 / 2 | Randomised and blinded or placebo-controlled (as stated in the record) |
| Times cited | 6 / 7 | Cited 737 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 5 / 5 | 56.7 citations a year over 13 year(s) since 2015 |
| Impact for its field and year | 5 / 6 | Cited 35.8× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 3 / 6 | Cited by 13 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 4 / 4 | Cited 212 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | OpenAlex's profile for last-listed author G. Alexopoulis holds only 1 work(s), too few to judge a track record — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | Yale University: institution h-index 1,927 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 6 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 26362286) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Points | 78 / 96 | Scored on 19 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 78 of the 96 points we could judge it on is 81 out of 100. |
| Total | 81 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
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