Forcano L, Soldevila-Domenech N, Boronat A, Sánchez-Benavides G, Puig-Pijoan A, Lorenzo T, Aldea-Perona A, Suárez-Calvet M, Cuenca-Royo A, Gispert JD, Gomis- Gonzalez M, Minguillón C, Diaz-Pellicer P, Fauria K, Piera I, Langohr K, Dierssen M, Pizarro N, Mur-Gimeno E, Grau-Rivera O, Molinuevo JL, de la Torre R.
Background: The potential of dietary compounds to enhance the effects of multimodal lifestyle interventions (MLIs) on cognition in individuals at high risk of cognitive impairment remains unclear.
Objectives: To assess whether the addition of a green tea extract enriched with epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) enhances the effects of an MLI.
Design: Double-blind, randomized, two-arm, and placebo-controlled trial. Exploratory comparisons were made with a non-randomized group (NRG) receiving healthy lifestyle recommendations.
Setting: Population-based study conducted in Barcelona, Spain PARTICIPANTS: APOE-ɛ4 carriers aged 60-80 with subjective cognitive decline INTERVENTION: A 12-month intensive MLI including dietary counseling, guided physical activity, and cognitive stimulation, combined with EGCG (5-6 mg/kg) or placebo, followed by a 3-month washout.
Measurements: Primary endpoint was change in the modified Preclinical Alzheimer Cognitive Composite (PACC-exe) score.
Results: 129 participants (65.1% 84 women, aged 66.7±5.5 years) were enrolled (52 MLI+EGCG, 52 MLI+placebo and 25 NRG), with126 (97.7%) included in the modified intention-to-treat analysis. After 12 months, no statistically significant difference was observed between MLI+EGCG and MLI+placebo in the PACC-exe (adjusted mean difference [AMD]: 0.12; 95%CI: -0.01, 0.24; p=0.061). However, participants in the MLI+EGCG group were 2.6 times more likely to show a reliable cognitive improvement. In exploratory analyses following a 3-month washout, the MLI+EGCG group showed significant cognitive benefits compared to the MLI+placebo (AMD: 0.19; 95%CI: 0.06, 0.32; p=0.005). Exploratory comparisons with the NRG also suggested greater gains in cognition and dementia risk reduction in both MLI groups, particularly with EGCG.
Conclusions: While the primary outcome was not met, this proof-of-concept trial suggests that combining MLIs with EGCG warrants further investigation in larger, confirmatory studies.
Forcano L, Soldevila-Domenech N, Boronat A, Sánchez-Benavides G, Puig-Pijoan A, Lorenzo T, Aldea-Perona A, Suárez-Calvet M, Cuenca-Royo A, Gispert JD, Gomis-Gonzalez M, Minguillón C, Diaz-Pellicer P, Fauria K, Piera I, Langohr K, Dierssen M, Pizarro N, Mur-Gimeno E, Grau-Rivera O, Molinuevo JL, de la Torre R; PENSA working group. A multimodal lifestyle intervention complemented with epigallocatechin gallate to prevent cognitive decline in APOE- ɛ4 carriers with Subjective Cognitive Decline: a randomized, double-blinded clinical trial (PENSA study). J Prev Alzheimers Dis. 2025 Jul 14:100271. doi: 10.1016/j.tjpad.2025.100271. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40664536.