Cognizin citicoline and DHA combo may improve learning, memory after stroke

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Brain-health supplement ingredients citicoline and DHA may act synergistically to support cognitive function following a stroke. In a new animal study, researchers tested the effects of a supplement combination of Kyowa Hakko’s (New York City) Cognizin-brand citicoline and omega-3 fatty acid DHA (DSM’s life’sDHA brand) in mice who were subjected to bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (BCCAO), resulting in cerebral ischemia (stroke), a condition which blocks delivery of oxygen-rich blood to the brain and results in damage to brain tissue. The study was sponsored by Kyowa Hakko.

The researchers said they pursued this study to explore the synergy between Cognizin and DHA because of the powerful neuroprotective benefits of both ingredients. They said: “Phospholipids are structural components of cellular membranes that play important roles as precursors for various signaling pathways in modulating neuronal membrane function and maintenance of the intracellular environment. Phosphatidylcholine (PtdCho) is the most abundant cellular phospholipid. Citicoline and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are essential intermediates in the synthesis of PtdCho. Both PtdCho intermediates have independently shown neuroprotective effects in cerebral ischemia, but their combined effect is unknown.”

In the study, the mice were given oral supplementation of 40 mg/kg Cognizin citicoline and 300 mg/kg DHA, either alone or in combination, for 11 days. Following the BCCAO surgery, the mice were then subjected to behavioral tests including: 1) Y-maze task test (“to determine willingness to explore new environments and spatial reference memory”), 2) novel object recognition test, and 3) passive avoidance task tests. Researchers also measured neuronal cell death using histopathological analysis.

Researchers found that the citicoline-plus-DHA combination “significantly improved learning and memory ability of ischemic mice compared with either alone. Further, citicoline and DHA treatment significantly prevented neuronal cell death, and slightly increased DHA-containing PtdCho in the hippocampus, albeit not significantly. Taken together, these findings suggest that combined citicoline and DHA treatment may have synergistic benefits for partially improving memory deficits following transient brain ischemia.”

References:

1. Nakazaki E et al. “Combined citicoline and docosahexaenoic acid treatment improves cognitive dysfunction following transient brain ischemia.” Journal of Pharmacological Sciences. Published online February 20, 2019.