Rational Choices
Enhancing cholinergic transmission using cholinergic compounds may be one of the most effective ways of treating, and possibly preventing, memory loss. Donepezil (Aricept) heads my recommended list, but high cost and the fact that it is a prescription medication are significant limitations. Exelon and Remmyl are alternatives to Aricept, but they are also expensive prescription medications. If you would like to try other options, particularly if you prefer natural substances that you can obtain in health food stores, you can consider acetyl-l-carnitine or lecithin. But I’d like you to remember that the data on these other medications are not as convincing as they are for Aricept (or Exelon or Reminyl). Regardless of which agent you choose, the standard approach is to start at the lowest dose and increase it gradually until you reach the maximum dose that you can tolerate without side effects. Do not take more than one of these medications simultaneously, because the risk of toxicity increases.
CHAPTER 18
Medications That Stimulate Brain Function
PHOSPHATIDYLSERINE, HYDERGINE, and nootropics act via brain mechanisms other than acetylcholine.
Phosphatidylserine (PS) for Age-Related Memory Loss
Phosphatidylserine is a naturally occurring substance that is chemically similar to phosphatidylcholine, which is the active promemory ingredient in lecithin. But what is the basis for its use, and where does it fit into your memory program?
Physiologic Actions of Phosphatidylserine
Phosphatidylserine is present in the membrane that surrounds each cell, and it can alter the fluidity and functional state of these cell membranes. Stabilizing cell membranes may shield the nerve cell from injury and death.
Phosphatidylserine indirectly increases the production and release of several neurotransmitters, including epinephrine, norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine. These neurotransmitters, especially norepinephrine and dopamine, are known to improve attention, concentration, and alertness.
In aged mice, phosphatidylserine prevents, and partly reverses, age-related neurochemical changes. Mice receiving this com pound do not show the expected age-related decline in the ability to learn new information, such as figuring out how to traverse a maze.
Phosphatidylserine is a lipid, or fatty, substance and hence it crosses smoothly into the brain, unlike most water-soluble medications. This fat solubility makes it easy to navigate the blood-brain barrier, which is a natural boundary in capillaries or small blood vessels that prevents many
substances in the bloodstream from entering the brain. After radioactively labeled phosphatidylserine is taken by mouth, it can be detected in the brain with high concentrations in the hippocampus and
frontal cortex, areas responsible for memory.
Taken From: The Memory Program How to Prevent Memory Loss
and Enhance Memory Power
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