Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40579315›Full record

SynthesisThe journal of prevention of Alzheimer's disease2025

Targeting cognitive aging with curcumin supplementation: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Lirong Yu, Na Li, Bin Li, Kaisy Xinhong Ye, Jiuyu Guo, Jiatong Shan, Luwen Cao, Mei Song, Yanyu Wang, Tih-Shih Lee and 2 more

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in The journal of prevention of Alzheimer's disease, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Review
  3. Review
  4. Review
  5. Article
  6. Redox Homeostasis in Poultry/Animal Production.Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Lirong YuSchool of Nursing, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang, China.
Na LiLaboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomacromolecules of Chinese Medicine, Jilin Ginseng Academy, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, China.
Bin LiDepartment of Geriatrics, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China.
Kaisy Xinhong YeHealthy Longevity Translational Research Program, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore; Department of Psychological Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore; Centre for Healthy Longevity, @AgeSingapore, National University Health System, Singapore.
Jiuyu GuoHealthy Longevity Translational Research Program, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore; Department of Psychological Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore; Centre for Healthy Longevity, @AgeSingapore, National University Health System, Singapore.
Jiatong ShanHealthy Longevity Translational Research Program, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore; Department of Psychological Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore; Centre for Healthy Longevity, @AgeSingapore, National University Health System, Singapore.
Luwen CaoHealthy Longevity Translational Research Program, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore; Department of Psychological Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore; Centre for Healthy Longevity, @AgeSingapore, National University Health System, Singapore.
Mei SongDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Gynecology Oncology, Qingdao Central Hospital, University of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Qingdao, China.
Yanyu WangSchool of Psychology, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang, China.
Tih-Shih LeeNeuroscience and Behavioural Disorders Programme, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore.
Andrea B MaierHealthy Longevity Translational Research Program, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore; NUS Academy for Healthy Longevity, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore; Department of Human Movement Sciences, Faculty of Behavioral and Movement Sciences, Amsterdam Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, Netherlands. Electronic address: a.maier@nus.edu.sg.
Lei FengHealthy Longevity Translational Research Program, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore; Department of Psychological Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore; Centre for Healthy Longevity, @AgeSingapore, National University Health System, Singapore. Electronic address: fenglei2020sg@nus.edu.sg.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundCognitive aging is a growing public health concern, and curcumin, a bioactive compound derived from turmeric, has been proposed as a potential intervention to support cognitive function due to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

objectivesThis systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effects of curcumin on cognitive outcomes related to aging.

methodsA comprehensive search of PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Scopus was conducted to identify studies published up to June 18, 2024, including both in vivo preclinical animal studies and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing curcumin's effects on cognitive function. In vivo animal studies using Alzheimer's disease (AD) models and RCTs in human participants were included. Data were extracted and analyzed using meta-analytic techniques.

resultsIn preclinical in vivo murine studies (n = 25; total animals = 572), curcumin consistently improved both acquisition memory (SMD = -1.78, 95 % CI: -2.12 to -1.43) and retention memory (SMD = 2.36, 95 % CI: 1.72 to 3.00) in rodent models of AD. Ten human studies include 531 participants. Overall, curcumin showed no significant effect on global cognitive outcomes compared to placebo (SMD = 0.14, 95 % CI: -0.78 to 1.07). Subgroup analyses revealed significant improvements in working memory (SMD = 1.01, 95 % CI: 0.15 to 1.87) and processing speed (SMD = 0.37, 95 % CI: 0.07 to 0.67). The incidence of adverse events was higher in the curcumin group than in the control group.

conclusionsPreclinical in vivo evidence suggests curcumin enhances cognitive function in AD models. However, human studies show inconsistent findings with benefits limited to specific cognitive domains. Larger, well-designed randomized controlled trials are needed to establish curcumin's efficacy and safety in cognitive aging.

Indexed as

CognitionCognitive AgingCurcuminDietary SupplementsAlzheimer DiseaseAnimalsDisease Models, AnimalHumansRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicCurcuminAgingCognitive functionCurcuminMeta-analysis

Identifiers

PMID40579315
PMCPMC12413726

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.