Science News, January 5, 2008, vol. 173. no.1 p. 13
Neuroscience
Milking performance from damaged brains
Given intravenously, a molecule found in breast milk can improve
mental function in people with dementia and in victims of stroke and
traumatic brain injury.
Researchers at the University of Palermo in Italy tested the molecule,
called glycerophosphocholine (GPC), for its effect on neurological
functioning in 2,044 stroke victims. GPC improved the patients'
performance by 27 percent compared with patients not given the
treatment, the scientists reported in the Annals of the New York
Academy of Sciences.
In 12 seperate trials by different research groups, GPC also
significantly improved memory, attention, and orientation in people
with various forms of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease. And
mice given GPC recovered from induced brain injuries more quickly than
untreated mice, says Parris M. Kidd, a biologist at Crayhon Research,
a Reno, Nev., company that sells brain nutritional supplements.
GPC works BY INCREASING THE NUMBER OF RECEPTORS ON BRAIN CELLS FOR
NERVE GROWTH FACTOR, a signaling protein that spurs production and
survival of nerves. GPC CAN READILY CROSS THE BLOOD-BRAIN BARRIER, a
layer of cells that surrounds blood vessels in the brain and controls
which proteins and other large molecules can pass from the blood to
nerve cells. These cells can also convert GPC into choline, which they
then use to make acetylcholine, a chemical messenger that carries
signals between nerves. Patrick Barry
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MMW Fortschr Med. 2004 Dec 9;146:99-106. Related Articles, Links

[Improvement in quality of life in the elderly. Results of a
placebo-controlled study on the efficacy and tolerability of lecithin
fluid in patients with impaired cognitive functions]

[Article in German]

Volz HP, Hehnke U, Hauke W.

Krankenhaus fur Psychiatrie, Psychotherapie und Psychosomatische
Medizin, Schloss Werneck.

Lecithin, a precursor of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, has a
positive effect on brain and memory functions.
In a prospective, randomized, double-blind study, the effect of
buerlecithin fluid (BLF) was investigated in comparison with
placebo in patients with mild cognitive disorders.
A total of 96 ambulatory patients (> 55 years) were admitted to the
study.
Treatment duration was 84 days.
In both treatment groups, a clear improvement in all the cognitive
parameters tested was seen.
The main target measure, the overall Sandoz Clinical Assessment
Geriatric (SCAG) score improved by 18.7 (test substance) and 16.4
(placebo) points (p = 0.1620).
A statistically relevant improvement of the secondary target
parameter, response in the SCAG score, was achieved with
BLF (85.4%) in comparison with placebo (62.5%) (p = 0.018).
Furthermore, BLF demonstrated significant superiority in a
number of the other target measures.
The study also confirmed the very good tolerability of BLF.

Publication Types:
Clinical Trial
Randomized Controlled Trial

PMID: 15662899 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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Source Lancet 1977 Jul 9;2(8028):68-9
Title Lecithin consumption raises serum-free-choline levels.
Wurtman RJ, Hirsch MJ, Growdon JH.

Consumption of choline by rats sequentially increases serum-choline,
brain-choline, and brain-acetylcholine concentrations.
In man consumption of choline increases in levels in the serum and
cerebrospinal fluid; its administration is an effective way of
treating tardive dyskinesia.
We found that oral lecithin is considerably more effective in raising
human serum-choline levels than an equivalent quantity of choline
chloride.
30 minutes after ingestion of choline chloride (2-3 g free base),
serum-choline levels
rose by 86% and returned to normal values within 4 hours; 1 hour
after
lecithin
ingestion, these levels rose by 265% and remained significantly
raised
for 12 hours.
Lecithin may therefore be the method of choice for accelerating
acetylcholine synthesis by
increasing the availability of choline, its precursor in the blood.

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