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58/100

✓ Peer-reviewed alzhub usefulness score 58 out of 100. Treatments

Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis

Plain-language summary

Introduction Amyloid-beta (Aβ) protein is a major component of the extracellular plaque found in the brains of individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD). In this study, we investigated the effect of trans-resveratrol as an antagonist treatment for moderate to mild AD, as well as its safety and tolerability. Methods This was a case-control study that enrolled 30 selected patients who had been clinically diagnosed with moderate to mild AD. These patients were randomly divided into two groups, namely, a placebo group (n = 15) and a trans-resveratrol group (n = 15) who received 500 mg trans-resveratrol orally once daily for 52 weeks. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations were performed on and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples were obtained from all participants before (baseline) and after the study (52 weeks). Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays were used to determine the levels of plasma Aβ40 and Aβ42 and CSF Aβ40 and Aβ42. Results The results showed that the changes over the study period in the levels of Aβ40 in the blood and CSF of the patients treated with trans-resveratrol were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). In contrast, patients who received placebo showed a significant decrease in Aβ40 levels compared with that at the beginning of the study (CSF Aβ40: P = 0.024, plasma Aβ40: P = 0.036). Analysis of the images on the brain MRI scans revealed that the brain volume of the patients treated with trans-resveratrol was significantly reduced at 52 weeks (P = 0.011) compared with that of patients in the placebo treatment group, Further analysis indicated that the level of matrix metallopeptidase 9 in the CSF of the patients treated with trans-resveratrol at 52 weeks decreased by 46% compared with that of patients in the placebo group (P = 0.033). Conclusion These results indicate that trans-resveratrol has potential neuroprotective roles in the treatment of moderate to mild AD and that its mechanism may involve a reduction in the accumulation and toxicity of Aβ in the brain of patients, thereby reducing neuroinflammation. Trial registration Chinese clinical trial registry: CTR20151780X.

What this study adds

Evidence grade: Moderate

This is a case-control study of 15 participants. In 30 patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease, changes in blood and CSF Aβ40 with trans-resveratrol were not statistically significant, while the placebo group showed a significant decrease in Aβ40. Reported effect size: decreased by 46%.

Taken from this record’s own fields, not from reading the paper. The grade is assigned from the abstract’s wording; what that means.

Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris

APA 7th

Gu, J., Li, Z., Chen, H., Xu, X., Li, Y., & Gui, Y. (2021). Neuroprotective Effect of Trans-Resveratrol in Mild to Moderate Alzheimer Disease: A Randomized, Double-Blind Trial. Neurology and therapy. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40120-021-00271-2

Vancouver

Gu J, Li Z, Chen H, Xu X, Li Y, Gui Y. Neuroprotective Effect of Trans-Resveratrol in Mild to Moderate Alzheimer Disease: A Randomized, Double-Blind Trial. Neurology and therapy. 2021. doi:10.1007/s40120-021-00271-2. PMID: 34402024.

BibTeX

@article{gu2021-34402024,
  author  = {Gu, J. and Li, Z. and Chen, H. and Xu, X. and Li, Y. and Gui, Y.},
  title   = {{Neuroprotective Effect of Trans-Resveratrol in Mild to Moderate Alzheimer Disease: A Randomized, Double-Blind Trial}},
  journal = {Neurology and therapy},
  year    = {2021},
  doi     = {10.1007/s40120-021-00271-2},
  pmid    = {34402024},
  url     = {https://doi.org/10.1007/s40120-021-00271-2}
}

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How to read this study

Design: this is a case-control study. People with the condition are compared with people without it, looking backward at past exposures. Recall of the past can be uneven between the groups, and the design shows association, not cause.
Size: the record lists 15 participants. Ask whether that is enough for the question, and who they were.
Effect: the record reports “decreased by 46%”. A statistically significant result can still be small in daily life.

What the evidence grade means here

This page is graded moderate. alzhub.org assigns the grade automatically from keywords in the abstract, not from reading the paper. Moderate means the abstract mentions a cohort, case-control or longitudinal design. It can add at most 5 of the 100 points in the study score, and it is a label about design, not a verdict on whether the findings are true.

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Key findings

Results The results showed that the changes over the study period in the levels of Aβ40 in the blood and CSF of the patients treated with trans-resveratrol were not statistically significant (P > 0.05).
In contrast, patients who received placebo showed a significant decrease in Aβ40 levels compared with that at the beginning of the study (CSF Aβ40: P = 0.024, plasma Aβ40: P = 0.036).
Analysis of the images on the brain MRI scans revealed that the brain volume of the patients treated with trans-resveratrol was significantly reduced at 52 weeks (P = 0.011) compared with that of patients in the placebo treatment group, Further analysis indicated that the level of matrix metallopeptidase 9 in the CSF of the patients treated with trans-resveratrol at 52 weeks decreased by 46% compared with that of patients in the placebo group (P = 0.033).
Conclusion These results indicate that trans-resveratrol has potential neuroprotective roles in the treatment of moderate to mild AD and that its mechanism may involve a reduction in the accumulation and toxicity of Aβ in the brain of patients, thereby reducing neuroinflammation.

Why it matters

In 30 patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease, changes in blood and CSF Aβ40 with trans-resveratrol were not statistically significant, while the placebo group showed a significant decrease in Aβ40. This small study does not show that trans-resveratrol treats, cures, or prevents Alzheimer's disease.

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Study details

Study designcase-control study
Participants15
Effect sizedecreased by 46%
Evidence strengthModerate

How this study scored 58/100

Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a case-control study.

Component	Points	Why
Journal tier	7 / 10	Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Neurology and therapy)
Journal's citation record	0 / 4	Neurology and Therapy: journal h-index 57 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29)
Study design	6 / 12	A case-control study
Strength of evidence	3 / 5	Rated “moderate” in our summary
Peer-review validation	10 / 10	Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal.
How recent	3 / 5	2021 — within 6 year(s) of the newest study here
Sample size	1 / 4	15 participants
Effect reported	2 / 3	Effect reported as a number, without an interval or test
Studied in people	3 / 3	Studied in people (participant count stated)
Randomized / blinded	2 / 2	Randomized and blinded or placebo-controlled (as stated in the record)
Times cited	4 / 7	Cited 72 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10)
Citations per year	3 / 5	10.3 citations a year over 7 year(s) since 2021
Impact for its field and year	3 / 6	Cited 6.0× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI)
Cited by studies here	1 / 6	Cited by 1 other studies in this library
Still being cited	2 / 4	Cited 45 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex)
Senior author's track record	1 / 4	Last-listed author Yaxing Gui: h-index 15 (OpenAlex, whole career)
Institution's track record	1 / 3	Zhejiang University: institution h-index 1,040 (OpenAlex)
Multicenter collaboration	2 / 3	OpenAlex lists 5 institution(s) in 1 country
Indexed in PubMed	2 / 2	Indexed in PubMed (PMID 34402024)
Free to read	2 / 2	Free to read
Total	58 / 100	—

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