Cognizin Citicoline Improves Focus and Memory, Study Says

New tests show that Kyowa Hakko’s (New York City) Cognizin citicoline ingredient may improve focus, concentration, and memory, according to new scientific data presented at the SupplySide Science Tour held January 24 in Irvine, CA.

A six-week study was conducted at McLean Hospital, a Harvard Medical School affiliate in Belmont, MA, on 16 healthy subjects ages 40 to 60 years old. At baseline, subjects underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) tests, while completing both the Stroop task, a test designed to measure attention and reaction time, and the Morris Water Maze task, which examines spatial memory. Subjects were then given a daily oral dose of either 500 or 2000 mg of Cognizin for six weeks, after which fMRI tests were again conducted.

After the second fMRI test, subjects showed increased activation during completion of the Stroop interference task, as well as improved accuracy in generating correct responses. “These results indicated that use of Cognizin resulted in better, more-accurate performance, accompanied by increased brain metabolism,” the company said.

Subjects also showed increased activation during the second Water Maze test, accompanied by increased time spent in the correct quadrant. “These results indicated that use of Cognizin resulted in better spatial memory retrieval, in addition to increased brain metabolism,” says the company.

The company notes that the results were nearly identical for both the 500- and 2000-mg test groups, “confirming that statistically significant improvements in attention, focus, memory, and recall can be achieved at dosing levels of 500 mg.”

“Neuroimaging data demonstrated increased regional brain activation, which was related to increased concentration, greater ability to focus, and improved accuracy on cognitive tasks after subjects received Cognizin,” says Deborah Yurgelun-Todd, PhD, director of the Cognitive Neuroimaging Laboratory at The Brain Institute at the University of Utah. She presented the study results during the SupplySide Tour.

Cognizin is said to support brain performance by enhancing metabolism and healthy activity, and helping to protect neural tissue from free-radical damage. Kyowa-Hakko says that unlike other single-action ingredients for brain health, Cognizin is multifunctional, showing benefits for those affected by memory loss, mood/behavioral disorders, mild cognitive impairments, and certain vision disorders.