The objective of this study was to (a) investigate acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activities in vitro in 10 kinds of sesame varieties according to their lignan content and determine the neuroprotective effects of lignan-rich sesame varieties in amyloid-β-induced SH-SY5Y cells, and (b) to evaluate the in vivo nootropic effects of sesame extracts and oil from lignan-rich varieties in scopolamine (2 mg/kg)-induced memory impaired mice (Figure 1). This evidence concerns the gene ACHE and memory impairment.