Olive polyphenols and bioavailable glutathione: Promising results in patients diagnosed with mild Alzheimer's disease

Background and aims: Recent studies highlighted a potential efficacy of olive polyphenols and of a derivatized form of glutathione to counteract neuropathology affecting specific brain regions at early AD stages. We performed a cross-over clinical trial to evaluate their potential benefits in mild AD. Methods: 40 patients diagnosed with mild AD according to IWG-2 criteria were enrolled in a twelve month trial and randomly assigned to two groups of equal sizes: Group 1, receiving treatment in the first six months and no treatment for the second six months, and Group 2, receiving no treatment for the first six months, and treatment for the second six months. Treatment consisted in a nutraceutical formulation comprising 50 mg/cps S-acetyl glutathione and 80 mg/cps oleuropein administered bid. Patients should have undergone a complete set of neuropsychological tests at the moment of the enrollment (T0), after six months (T1) and after twelve months (T2). Due to the difficulties related to COVID -19 emergency, only 10 patients in Group 1 and 8 in Group 2 could be enrolled. They could be evaluated only at T0 and T1. Results: All cognitive functions resulted stabilized or improved following the treatment, while behavioural disturbances significantly diminished. Conclusions: If further research will confirm these data the described treatment could be proficiently adopted for patients with mild AD as well as a preventive tool for those at risk of developing dementia. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS: Enrico Calvanese and Luca Giani for statistical analysis;Innbiotec Pharma s.r.l. for developing the formulation;Igea Pharma NV for supplying the product.