Study 1: Cognitive & Mood Improvement in Elderly & Alzheimer’s Patients

Positive Effects of Soy Lecithin-Derived Phosphatidylserine plus Phosphatidic Acid on Memory, Cognition, Daily Functioning, and Mood in Elderly Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia

Subject Size:

  • Study 1: 72 elderly individuals (aged 60–80 years) with memory problems 
  • Study 2: 96 Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients (aged 50–90 years)

Dosage:

  • Study 1: 300 mg Phosphatidylserine (PS) + 240 mg Phosphatidic Acid (PA) per day for 3 months
  • Study 2: 300 mg PS + 240 mg PA per day for 2 months 
  1. Memory Improvement (WMS Total Score):
    • PAS group: 3.5% increase (p < 0.001)
    • Placebo group: 3.3% increase (p < 0.03)
  2. Visual Memory Improvement:
    • PAS group: 10.6% increase (p < 0.01)
  3. Number Memorization Improvement:
    • PAS group: 7.0% increase (p < 0.01)
  4. Mood Improvement (LDS Depression Scale):
    • Placebo group: Significant increase in depressive symptoms (p < 0.001)
    • PAS group: No significant change (p < 0.4)
  1. 7-ADL (Daily Functioning Index) Change:
    • PAS group: No decline (Baseline: 6.23 → After 2 months: 6.23)
    • Placebo group: Decline from 5.62 to 4.90 (p = 0.039)
  2. Daily Functioning Stability:
    • PAS group: 90.6% stability
    • Placebo group: 79.5% stability (p = 0.066)
  3. Improved General Condition (Self-Reported):
    • PAS group: 49.0% reported improvement
    • Placebo group: 26.3% reported improvement (p = 0.084)
  4. Continuation of Supplementation Post-Trial:
    • PAS group: 42.9% continued supplementation
    • Placebo group: 0% continued supplementation (p = 0.010)

CONCLUSION

PS+PA supplementation significantly improved memory, mood, and cognition in elderly individuals with memory  impairment. It also stabilized daily functioning and emotional state in AD patients.

Study 2: Effect of PAS on Psychological & Hormonal Response to Mental Stress

Effects of Soy Lecithin Phosphatidic Acid and Phosphatidylserine Complex (PAS) on the Endocrine and Psychological Responses to Mental Stress

Subject Size

80 adults (aged 20–45 years), divided into four groups of 20 subjects each

Dosage

  •  400 mg PAS/day 
  •  600 mg PAS/day 
  •  800 mg PAS/day 
  •  Placebo group 

The PAS supplement contained Phosphatidylserine (PS) + Phosphatidic Acid (PA) from soy lecithin.

RESULT IN PERCENTAGE

Reduction in ACTH Response to Stress (Trier Social Stress Test - TSST)

400 mg PAS group: Significant blunting of ACTH response (p = 0.008

600 mg and 800 mg PAS groups: No significant effect 

Reduction in Serum Cortisol Response to Stress

400 mg PAS group: Significant 20% reduction in cortisol response (p = 0.015

600 mg and 800 mg PAS groups: No significant effect 

Reduction in Salivary Cortisol Response to Stress

400 mg PAS group: Approximately 80% blunting of stress-induced salivary cortisol  increase compared to placebo (p = 0.015

Reduction in Psychological Distress (Spielberger State Anxiety Inventory - STAI)

400 mg PAS group: Significant decrease in stress-related distress (p = 0.05

Placebo group: Expected increase in distress 

Effect on Heart Rate

  •  No significant effect observed in any PAS group.

CONCLUSION

The 400 mg PAS dose effectively reduced the HPA-axis stress response, lowering ACTH, serum cortisol, and salivary  cortisol levels under stress. It also decreased perceived distress in response to a psychological stressor (TSST).  However, higher doses (600 mg and 800 mg) did not provide additional benefits, suggesting a dose-dependent  effect with optimal results at 400 mg/day.