What this means
Researchers plan to give adults daily spice capsules or sugar-based capsules for three months, then watch for three more. This is a trial that has not reported results yet, so it cannot show whether spices help memory.
Plain-English summary written by an AI model from the registry listing.
- Status
- Recruiting
- Who can join
- Ages 50–80 · 50 adults aged 50 to 80 with mild memory decline
- Where
- 1 site, including California
The science
- Registered title
- Effect of Daily Mixed Spice Consumption on Memory Function
- Trial ID
- NCT06889961 ↗
- Phase
- Not applicable
- Study type
- interventional
- Conditions
- Memory, Cognitive Function
- What is tested
- Mixed spices, Placebo
- Sponsor
- University of California, Los Angeles
- Ages
- 50 Years to 80 Years
- Dates
- First posted Mar 21, 2025 · updated Jul 24, 2026
Registry summary
The aging process entails a multitude of structural and functional alterations within the brain, culminating in a gradual and progressive decline in cognitive function. Recent research has indicated that various spices may hold the key to enhancing brain health and combating the effects of aging on cognitive abilities. The hypothesis is that a mixture of spices, acknowledged for their reported memory protection potential, may yield a more potent beneficial effect on memory function than a single spice. The spice mixture will be used at culinary dose, and therefore side effects are anticipated. In this study, the effects of spice mixture will be evaluated, as well as their anti-oxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. The proposed pilot study will include 50 adults (ages 50-80), exhibiting typical age-related mild cognitive decline, excluding dementia or major neurocognitive disorders. They will be randomized 1:1 assigned into a daily intake of either 4.00 g spice mixture capsules or 4.00 g maltodextrin capsules over 3 months, and explore the sustainable effect over 3 additional months. The changes in symptoms of cognition, fatigue, and mood symptoms of the spice group vs. placebo group will be compared. The outcome of the investigation of the effects of mixed spice consumption will provide important novel information on dietary recommendation of spice to preserve cognitive function in aging population.
Sites (1)
- UCLA Center for Human Nutrition, Los Angeles, California, United States