The Impact of Ascidian (Halocynthia roretzi)-derived Plasmalogen on Cognitive Function in Healthy Humans: A Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Trial

• Published in: Journal of Oleo Science Vol. 69; no. 12; pp. 1597 - 1607
• Main Authors: Watanabe, Hirofumi, Okawara, Masaki, Matahira, Yoshiharu, Mano, Takashi, Wada, Tatsuya, Suzuki, Naoko, Takara, Tsuyoshi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Japanese
• Published: Japan Japan Oil Chemists' Society 01.01.2020; Japan Science and Technology Agency
• Subjects: Adult; Animals; ascidian; Asian Continental Ancestry Group; Cognition - drug effects; Cognitive ability; Cognitive Dysfunction - drug therapy; Cognitive Dysfunction - psychology; cognitive function; Cognitrax; Double-Blind Method; Double-blind studies; Female; Females; Food; Halocynthia roretzi; Humans; Male; Males; Memory; Memory - drug effects; Middle Aged; Phospholipids; Phytotherapy; plasmalogen; Plasmalogens - administration & dosage; Plasmalogens - pharmacology; Urochordata - chemistry; cognitive function; plasmalogen; Cognitrax; Halocynthia roretzi; ascidian
• ISSN: 1345-8957; 1347-3352
• DOI: 10.5650/jos.ess20167

Objectives: Plasmalogen, phospholipids with previously shown associations with dementia, has attracted attention as a substance found in some studies to improve cognitive function. The effects of ascidian-derived plasmalogens on cognitive performance improvement were assessed in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study including Japanese adult volunteers with mild forgetfulness.Methods: Participants consumed either the active food containing ascidian-derived plasmalogen (1 mg as plasmalogen) or the placebo food for 12 weeks, and their cognitive performance was assessed by Cognitrax. Participants were randomly allocated into the intervention (ascidian-derived plasmalogen; 8 males, and 17 females; 45.6 ± 11.1 years) or the placebo (9 males, and 15 females; mean age, 46.4 ± 10.8 years) group. Results: Compared to the placebo group, the intervention group showed a significant increase score in composite memory (eight weeks: 3.0 ± 16.3 points, 12 weeks: 6.7 ± 17.5 points), which was defined as the sum of verbal and visual memory scores.Conclusions: These results indicate the consumption of ascidian-derived plasmalogen maintains and enhances memory function. This study was registered at the University Hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trial Registry (UMIN-CTR, registry no. UMIN000026297). This study did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.