Cognitive enhancers

http://cognitive-enhancers.blogspot.com/

Brain function and improved oxygen supply
Brain function and improved oxygen supply * Chromium- stabilises blood sugar levels promoting concentration.
* Coenzyme q-10 syn. Ubiquinone - increases oxygen transport through the mitochondria of the cells.
* Creatine - increases brain energy levels via ATP production.
* Inositol - B vitamin which synergizes with other nootropics
* Lipoic acid - synergistic with Acetyl-L-carnitine.
* Pyritinol (Enerbol) - Drug. Enhances oxygen and glucose uptake in the brain, and allows glucose to pass more easily through the blood-brain barrier. It is also a powerful anti-oxidant which scavenges hydroxyl radicals created in the very processes it is involved in.
* Vinpocetine - Vinpocetine increases blood circulation and metabolism in the brain. Animal studies have shown that vinpocetine can reduce the loss of neurons due to decreased blood flow. [15]
* Prazosin - Alpha-blocking blood pressure medication also prescribed as an anti-PTSD medication, appears to block the increase of steroid hormones known as glucocorticoids, Oregon Health & Science University and Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center researchers have found. Elevated levels of glucocorticoids are associated with atrophy in nerve branches where impulses are transmitted, and even nerve cell death, in the hippocampus.
Publicat de health victorro la 04:14 0 comentarii
Etichete: Brain, function, oxygen
Anti-depression, adaptogenic (antistress), and mood stabilization
Stress, depression, and depressed mood negatively affect cognitive performance. It is reasoned that counteracting and preventing depression and stress may be an effective nootropic strategy.

Below are a list of substances purported to function as nootropics, and claimed effects:

* Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) - Root. Also known as Indian ginseng. Adaptogen used as a tonic to normalize body processes and reduce stress and anxiety.
* Inositol - Is a B-vitamin like substance with anti-anxiety effects. It is believed to produce its anti-anxiety effects by improving the binding of gabaergics to GABAA receptors. Inositol is a sugar, and is therefore an alternative energy source for brain and muscle tissues. It produces a sugar high without a sugar low, making it especially suited for sweetening tea (instead of sugar). It is also a membrane stabilizer which can strengthen (and therefore help protect) neurons.
* Kava kava - The roots of the Kava-Kava plant contain Kavalactones which have GABAergic properties and are used to combat anxiety.[33]
* Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis) - Herb. Anti-depressant.
* Passion Flower is used to treat depression. It is commonly combined with St. John’s Wort and Valerian, which work synergistically to reestablish the patients emotional balance without causing tachyphylaxia, hangovers, or addiction. [33]
* Rhodiola Rosea - Herb. Adaptogen; elevates mood, alleviates depression. Promotes mental energy and stamina, reduces fatigue. Boosts dopamine. Slows breakdown of serotonin.
* St John's Wort - Herb. The active components: hypericin and hyperforin, are clinically indicated to be effective in cases of mild to moderate depression, on par with synthetic drugs. However, St John's Wort is not suitable for the treatment of severe depression or suicidal tendencies. Side effects include gastrointestinal complaints and allergic reactions such as pruritus and phototoxicity. [33]
* Ginseng, Siberian (Eleutherococcus senticosus) - Root. Anti-anxiety adaptogen that normalizes physical stress and mental consequences.
* Selegiline (Deprenyl) - Along with Piracetam and Meclofenoxate, Deprenyl decreases the amount of lipofuscin pigment and ceroid pigment accumulations in the brain by improving cellular recycling activities.[34] Therefore, these nootropics may slow age-related diseases in the brain. Selegiline, an MAO-B inhibitor, is used as an antioxidant for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. [29]
* Sutherlandia frutescens - Herb. Adaptogen, blood detoxifier.
* Tea - Herb. Contains theophylline and theanine. Increases alpha-wave based alert relaxation (relieves stress).
* Theanine - Amino acid. Found in tea. Increases serotonin and dopamine levels in the brain. Increases alpha-wave based alert relaxation. Also stimulates the GABAergic system.
* Tianeptine - Anxiolytic anti-depressant. It enhances working and reference memory in rats.[35]
* Vasopressin - Drug. Memory hormone produced by the pituitary gland which improves both memory encoding and recall. Rapidly counters chronic apathy syndrome and drug-induced vasopressin depletion.
* Niacin - Mood stabilizer, with a powerful anti-anxiety effect — perhaps the best and most immediate stress reliever available (note that other forms of vitamin B do not have this effect). Side effects: gastric upset (which is easily prevented and relieved with antacids), reduced blood pressure and flushing of the skin (caused by vasodilation), and itchy sensation in the skin caused by histamine release.
* Picamilon - Crosses the blood-brain barrier and metabolizes into Niacin and GABA. The GABA might flood the brain producing an anti-anxiety effect while the Niacin is a strong vasodialator and anti-anxiolytic.
* Vitis vinifera (Grape Seed) Grape seed has antistress (adaptogenic) activity, protects against memory loss induced by scopolamine, is an antioxidant, has nootropic activities, and supports the traditional claims for the use of grape fruits and seeds in stress induced disorders. [36]
Publicat de health victorro la 04:13 0 comentarii
Etichete: adaptogenic, Anti-depression, antistress
Serotonergics
Serotonergics are substances that affect the neurotransmitter serotonin or the components of the nervous system that use serotonin. Serotonergic nootropics include serotonin precursors and cofactors, and serotonin reuptake inhibitors:

* Griffonia simplicifolia a natural source of 5-HTP (an alternative in countries where 5-HTP not legal, freely available.)
* Tryptophan (requires Vitamin B6 and Vitamin C) - Essential amino acid. Precursor to serotonin, found in high concentration in bananas and meats, also in milk, promotes relaxed poise and sound sleep. 5-HTP is chemically related to tryptophan.
* 5HT2A agonists such as LSD and 2C-T-7 have been shown to produce nootropic effects when used at a dose much lower than a hallucinogenic dose. (e.g. 10 μg for LSD and 1 mg 2C-T-7, 1/25 of a normal recreational dose )[citation needed]
* SSRIs - Class of antidepressants that increase active serotonin levels, ie, in the synaptic junction, by inhibiting its reuptake. Have also been shown to promote Neurogenesis in the hippocampus.
Publicat de health victorro la 04:12 0 comentarii
Etichete: Serotonergics
Dopaminergics
Dopaminergics are substances that affect the neurotransmitter dopamine or the components of the nervous system that use dopamine. Dopamine is produced in the synthesis of all catecholamine neurotransmitters, and is the rate limiting step for this synthesis. Dopaminergic nootropics include dopamine precursors and cofactors (vitamin C and vitamin B6), and dopamine reuptake inhibitors:

* Mucuna pruriens - Seed powder which contains high concentrations of levodopa (L-dopa),[28] a direct precursor of the neurotransmitter dopamine.
* Tyrosine (requires Vitamin B6 and Vitamin C) - Amino acid. Precursor to dopamine, anti-depressant, sleep reducer.
* Lazabemide - a MAO-B inhibitor and has potent membrane lipid antioxidant activity. The antioxidant effects of lazabemide are attributed to its chemical structure and direct physicochemical interactions with the membrane lipid bilayer. It is a potent antioxidant, even more powerful than selegiline (deprenyl) or vitamin E, and is used to treat Alzheimer’s disease.[29]
* L-dopa - Prescription drug and dietary supplement. Precursor to the neurotransmitter dopamine, anti-depressant.
* Phenylalanine (requires Vitamin B6 and Vitamin C) - Essential amino acid. Precursor to dopamine, anti-depressant, sleep reducer.
* Selegiline - L-deprenyl is an irreversible MAO-B inhibitor, an enzyme that breaks down dopamine. Thus, it is used to treat Parkinson's disease, and has been tested as a treatment for Alzheimer's disease.[30] It protects against the genotoxin AraC, provides neuroprotection against growth factor withdrawal in PC12 cells, protects against oxidative stress in mesencephalatic neurons, and delays neuronal cell death in the hippocampus after global ischemia.[31]
* Tolcapone - Inhibits COMT (an enzyme that breaks down the neurotransmitters dopamine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine) and increases performance in tasks depending on working memory in individuals with the val/val and val/met genotype of the val158Met polymorphism of the catechol-O-methyltransferase gene, while decreasing it in presence of the met/met version. Tolcapone presents the risk of deadly side effects.
* Yohimbe - Bark. Aphrodisiac. Boosts dopamine levels,[citation needed] though how it does this is not yet understood. Supplements are likely to have no yohimbe in them.[32] Yohimbe poses some health risks through its side-effects: it is a neuro-paralytic which slows down breathing and induces acidosis, some symptoms of which are malaise, nausea, and vomiting. Contraindicated for users of megadoses of acidic vitamins or nutrients.
* Theanine - Found in tea. Increases serotonin and dopamine levels in the brain. Increases alpha-wave based alert relaxation.
Publicat de health victorro la 04:11 0 comentarii
Etichete: Dopaminergics
Availability
Currently there are several drugs on the market that improve memory, concentration, planning and reduce impulsive behavior. Many more are in different stages of development.[3] The most commonly used class of drug are the stimulants.[4]

These drugs are used primarily to treat people with cognitive difficulties: Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, ADHD. However, more widespread use is being recommended by some researchers.[5] These drugs have a variety of human enhancement applications as well and are marketed heavily on the World Wide Web. Nevertheless, intense marketing may not correlate with efficacy; while scientific studies support some of the claimed benefits, it is worth noting that many of the claims attributed to most nootropics have not been formally tested.

• Added on: Mar 13th, 2009
• Country: Romania
• Language: English

• Author: rorac2009
• Listed in: Health Medicine
• Tags: anti-depression brain function and improved oxygen supply