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Ginseng extract improves synaptic resiliency: A key factor for healthy cognitive aging
Michael F Almeida, Morgan C Pait, Katherine M Rentschler, Christopher J Norton, Karen L G Farizatto, Ben A Bahr. Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association, 2025-12
Topic: Gut, metabolism and diet
Among the natural extracts tested, PanQ emerged as the most effective for increasing the active CatB isoform in correspondence with enhanced levels of synaptic proteins and the autophagy marker LC3-II. PanQ also increased synaptic resilience in a model of lysosomal stress and improved cognitive performance in 20-month-old rats. PanQ-mediated ALP enhancement implicates the proteostasis network in synaptic and cognitive maintenance mechanisms. This study also points to synaptic resiliency as an important factor underlying the influence of dietary components on cognitive health. HIGHLIGHTS: Panax quinquefolius (PanQ) enhanced cathepsin B (CatB) in hippocampal explants. The CatB modulation corresponded with enhanced synaptic and autophagy markers. PanQ improved synaptic resilience in the chloroquine (Cqn) model of lysosomal stress. Age-related cognitive deficit was reduced by PanQ supplementation in Fischer rats.
Key findings
- Among the natural extracts tested, PanQ emerged as the most effective for increasing the active CatB isoform in correspondence with enhanced levels of synaptic proteins and the autophagy marker LC3-II.
- PanQ also increased synaptic resilience in a model of lysosomal stress and improved cognitive performance in 20-month-old rats.
- PanQ-mediated ALP enhancement implicates the proteostasis network in synaptic and cognitive maintenance mechanisms.
- This study also points to synaptic resiliency as an important factor underlying the influence of dietary components on cognitive health.
- HIGHLIGHTS: Panax quinquefolius (PanQ) enhanced cathepsin B (CatB) in hippocampal explants.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 46/100
Published in a leading specialty journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on journal's citation record, times cited, citations per year, impact for its field and year, cited by studies here, still being cited, senior author's track record, institution's track record, multi-centre collaboration and free to read, so those were left out: it earned 26 of the 56 points we could judge it on, which is 46 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association) |
| Journal's citation record | — / 4 | No journal record from OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | — / 7 | No citation count (not found in OpenAlex) — left out of this score |
| Citations per year | — / 5 | No citation count or no year — left out of this score |
| Impact for its field and year | — / 6 | No field-weighted citation impact (OpenAlex has none yet) — left out of this score |
| Cited by studies here | — / 6 | Not yet checked against this library's citation graph — left out of this score |
| Still being cited | — / 4 | No yearly citation counts — left out of this score |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | Senior author's record not available — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | — / 3 | No institution listed in OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Multi-centre collaboration | — / 3 | Institutions not listed — left out of this score |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 41416621) |
| Free to read | — / 2 | Access not recorded — left out of this score |
| Points | 26 / 56 | Scored on 10 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 26 of the 56 points we could judge it on is 46 out of 100. |
| Total | 46 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
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APA 7th
Almeida, M. F., Pait, M. C., Rentschler, K. M., Norton, C. J., Farizatto, K. L. G., & Bahr, B. A. (2025). Ginseng extract improves synaptic resiliency: A key factor for healthy cognitive aging. Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association. https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.70818
Vancouver
Almeida MF, Pait MC, Rentschler KM, Norton CJ, Farizatto KLG, Bahr BA. Ginseng extract improves synaptic resiliency: A key factor for healthy cognitive aging. Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association. 2025. doi:10.1002/alz.70818. PMID: 41416621.
BibTeX
@article{almeida2025-41416621,
author = {Almeida, Michael F and Pait, Morgan C and Rentschler, Katherine M and Norton, Christopher J and Farizatto, Karen L G and Bahr, Ben A},
title = {{Ginseng extract improves synaptic resiliency: A key factor for healthy cognitive aging}},
journal = {Alzheimer's \& dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1002/alz.70818},
pmid = {41416621},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.70818}
}