Common digestive drug may help ease depression and brain fog

 What is your competent? doctors' EXACT PROTOCOL FOR BRAIN FOG? Doesn't have any, right? So, INCOMPETENT?

And your doctor totally missed this earlier research completely proving incompetence? Has s/he been fired yet? Why not?

• prucalopride (2 posts to October 2021)

This alone should have triggered its use.

 The incidence of constipation for stroke was 48%.  June 2017

Common digestive drug may help ease depression and brain fog

Many people recover from depression but continue to struggle with lingering symptoms such as memory problems, poor concentration and mental fog, which can affect work, relationships and daily life.

Scientists are now exploring an unexpected way to tackle those cognitive struggles—and it involves a medication more commonly associated with gut health than mental health.

The study, led by the University of Birmingham in collaboration with researchers at the University of Oxford in England, found early evidence that a prescription drug used to treat chronic constipation could help improve memory, attention and thinking speed in people with a history of depression.

Dr. Angharad de Cates, corresponding author of the study from the University of Birmingham, told Newsweek: “This study provides solid proof-of-concept for future studies in people with current symptoms of mental illness, particularly in terms of the potential for broad cognitive benefits.”

Brain Fog Often Persists After Depression

The findings, published in Psychological Medicine, suggest laxatives may target a lesser-known aspect of the condition often described as “brain fog.”

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, around 21 million U.S. adults have experienced at least one major depressive episode.

Newsweek discussed the study with consultant clinical psychologist Dr. Bradley Powell, who was not involved in the research. He said brain fog is a frequently overlooked aspect of depression.

“Brain fog is not a formal diagnosis, but it is a phrase many people use to describe feeling mentally slower, forgetful or unable to concentrate,” said Powell, the co-founder of Regal Private Therapy Practice, London. “In practice, it might mean reading the same email several times without taking it in, losing the thread of a conversation, forgetting appointments, struggling to organize tasks or finding relatively ordinary decisions unusually effortful.”

These cognitive symptoms can continue even after recovery, leaving people feeling as if they are not thinking as clearly or quickly as they once did.

Researchers wanted to investigate whether a medication called prucalopride could help address those lingering issues.

An Unlikely Medication

Prucalopride is already approved to treat chronic constipation. The drug works by activating a serotonin receptor known as 5-HT4, which is found not only in the gut but also in the brain.

Because serotonin plays an important role in both digestion and brain function, researchers wondered whether stimulating this receptor could improve cognitive performance.

The small experimental trial involved 50 adults who had experienced depression in the past but had recovered at least six months earlier. None were taking medication at the time of the study.

Participants were randomly assigned to receive either the standard 2mg dose of prucalopride or a placebo for between seven and 10 days.

Before and after treatment, participants completed a series of tests designed to measure memory, attention, processing speed and executive functioning—the mental skills used for planning, focusing and managing tasks.

Those who took prucalopride performed better than participants who received the placebo. Researchers found they responded both faster and more accurately on cognitive assessments.

“The results are encouraging but they are best understood as an early indication that deserves further study rather than evidence of a treatment that is ready for clinical use,” Powell said.

He highlights how it was a small trial with a fairly specific group. He added: “It does not tell us whether the same effects would be seen in people who are currently depressed, taking antidepressants, older, or experiencing significant cognitive problems in everyday life.”

No Significant Side Effects Reported

Researchers reported no significant side effects during the study period.

De Cates noted that participants did not experience serious gut-related complaints, explaining that prucalopride works as a laxative by gently stimulating bowel movements.

The study assessed several aspects of cognition, including short- and long-term memory, working memory, attention and processing speed. When researchers combined the results, the prucalopride group showed higher accuracy and faster response times than the placebo group.

Early Findings, but Promising

The researchers cautioned that the study was small and designed to provide early evidence rather than definitive answers. Larger studies will be needed to determine whether the benefits can be replicated and whether the drug could eventually play a role in treating depression-related cognitive symptoms.

De Cates told Newsweek: “Our findings offer promise for addressing cognitive problems in depression, but this research area is still at the exploratory phase.”

De Cates added that prucalopride is already approved for constipation but it is still too early for people to use it as a treatment for cognitive symptoms.

“We need dedicated clinical trials in this area before it can become a treatment option,” De Cates said.

The team plans to continue investigating treatments for cognitive difficulties associated with major depressive disorder. Previous research has also suggested that drugs targeting the 5-HT4 receptor may help reduce the risk of depression, raising the possibility that this class of medication could offer broader mental health benefits in the future.

Reference

De Cates, A., et al, (2026). “Common Constipation Drug May Help Clear Depression Brain Fog.” Psychological Medicine, https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260712011751.htm. Accessed 17 July 2026.

Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Charlotte Nisbet and James Debens

Related Articles

• Popular Weight-Loss Drug Linked To Improvement in Advanced Liver Disease
• Woman With Dwarfism Opens Up About Dating—and the Behavior She Can’t Ignore
• Common Sweeteners Can Damage Your Gut Bacteria, Study Finds

Start your unlimited Newsweek trial

Increased Risk of Stroke in Constipation Patients

 Here's a vicious circle your competent? doctor has to navigate. The best solution would be 100% recovery and getting back to your daily life, but that won't occur, your doctor has been incompetent in getting research done for 100% recovery.

The incidence of constipation for stroke was 48%. 

Laxative use may be linked to dementia risk, study says

So, maybe marijuana?

Marijuana use linked with decreased constipation

You'll have to break thru your doctor's reluctance.

Why Are Physicians So Reluctant to Use Cannabinoid Medications?

The latest here:

Increased Risk of Stroke in Constipation Patients

Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Suenghataiphorn, Thanathip MD^*; Yanpiset, Panat MD^†; Xanthavanij, Nutchapon MD^‡; Srikulmontri, Thitiphan MD^§; Thiravetyan, Ben MD^†; Tribuddharat, Narisara MD^∥; Prasitsumrit, Vitchapong MD^¶; Danpanichkul, Pojsakorn MD^†; Sodsri, Tulaton MD^#; Kulthamrongsri, Narathorn MD^**; Wattanachayaku, Phuuwadith MD^§

Author Information

Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology ():10.1097/MCG.0000000000002127, December 23, 2024. | DOI: 10.1097/MCG.0000000000002127

• Buy
• SDC
• PAP

Abstract

Objective: 

Constipation is commonly seen among patients with cardiovascular diseases and is linked to adverse outcomes. However, the association between constipation and the risk of stroke remains conflicting. Therefore, we aim to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to summarize the available data on this topic.

Methods: 

We identified potentially eligible studies from the MEDLINE and EMBASE databases, searching from inception to May 2024, to investigate the association between constipation and stroke. To be included, studies needed to compare the incidence of stroke between groups with and without constipation. Effect size and 95% CIs were combined using the generic inverse variance method.

Results: 

Our meta-analysis included 8 studies that met the eligibility criteria. There were 5,360,573 participants, with a mean age of 53.9 years and 69% are males. We found that patients with constipation have a 41% increased risk of stroke with a pooled risk ratio of 1.41 (95% CI: 1.13-1.75; P < 0.01, I² = 99%) compared with those without constipation. Subgroup analysis revealed that patients with constipation have a 50% increased risk of ischemic stroke with a pooled risk ratio of 1.50 (95% CI: 1.15-1.96; P < 0.01, I² = 99%), but no statistical significance was found for mixed-type stroke outcome.

Conclusions: 

Our study revealed that constipation is associated with a higher risk of stroke. These findings could influence future strategies for cardiovascular disease prevention and management in patients with chronic constipation

Constipation Risk Shows Causal Link With Schizophrenia, Major Depressive Disorder

 With your 48% risk of constipation post stroke, does your competent? doctor have EXACT PROTOCOLS TO PREVENT THAT PROBLEM? NO? So, you DON'T have a functioning stroke doctor, do you?

The incidence of constipation for stroke was 48%. 

 

Laxative use may be linked to dementia risk, study says

So, maybe marijuana?

Marijuana use linked with decreased constipation

The latest here:

Constipation Risk Shows Causal Link With Schizophrenia, Major Depressive Disorder

Mendelian randomization analysis of genome-wide association study data suggests schizophrenia and major depressive disorder may cause constipation.

Schizophrenia and major depressive disorder (MDD) may be genetically associated with increased risk for constipation but only the latter association appears to be clinically significant, according to results of a Mendelian randomization study published in Clinical and Experimental Gastroenterology.

Constipation, a common and often debilitating gastrointestinal disorder affecting an estimated 10.4% of the global population, is more prevalent among older adults and individuals with mental health conditions. Although previous studies have linked psychiatric disorders to constipation, the causal mechanisms underlying these associations remain unclear.

To explore this relationship, researchers utilized genome-wide association study data extracted from Psychiatric Genomics Consortium 2021 and 2022 datasets. The study included psychiatric data captured from individuals of European ancestry with schizophrenia (n=30,490) or MDD (n=170,756), as well as control groups of individuals without these conditions (n=312,009 and n=329,443, respectively). FinnGen summary statistics were used to extract data from 17,246 individuals with constipation and 201,546 without constipation (controls). Genetic correlations were evaluated using linkage disequilibrium score regression and genome-wide association study summary statistics for schizophrenia and MDD. Causal effects were estimated via inverse-variance weighting, with schizophrenia and MDD assessed as exposures of interest and constipation as the primary outcome.

Our study provides suggestive evidence that genetically increasing odds of SCZ and MDD are statistically significantly associated with the risk of Constipation.

Significant genetic correlations were found between constipation and both psychiatric disorders. For schizophrenia, the genetic correlation coefficient was 0.0423 (P <.05), while for MDD, it was 0.0517 (P <.05). Mendelian randomization analysis demonstrated a causal association between schizophrenia and constipation (odds ratio [OR], 1.05; 95% CI, 1.02-1.07; P <.01). This relationship was supported by complementary analyses, including MR-Egger and weighted median methods. Instrument strength was robust (mean F-statistic, 291), with no evidence of heterogeneity (Cochran Q, P =.11) or horizontal pleiotropy (Egger intercept, P =.81).

The researchers also observed a causal relationship between MDD and constipation (OR, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.10-1.33; P <.01). Weighted median analysis further supported this finding (OR, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.03-1.38, P =.02). Heterogeneity and horizontal pleiotropy testing confirmed the validity of these results (Cochran Q, P =.09 and Egger intercept, P =.39), and instrument strength remained strong (mean F-statistic, 291).

In patients with constipation, the researchers noted significantly higher risks for somatization, psychosis, and symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Limitations of the study include its focus on individuals of European ancestry, which may limit generalizability; exclusion of other psychiatric disorders and subtypes of constipation; and lack of bidirectional analysis of Mendelian randomization causality between constipation and psychotic disorders.

According to the researchers, “Our study provides suggestive evidence that genetically increasing odds of SCZ [schizophrenia] and MDD are statistically significantly associated with the risk of Constipation.”

This article originally appeared on Gastroenterology Advisor

References:

Efficacy and safety of acupuncture in post-stroke constipation: a systematic review and meta-analysis

But is marijuana better? 

Don't do the following, I'm not medically trained.

Marijuana use linked with decreased constipation

The latest here:

Efficacy and safety of acupuncture in post-stroke constipation: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Tianye Sun¹ Kaiyue Wang¹ Lili Li¹ Mingyuan Yan¹ Lin Zou¹ Mi Zhang¹ Songyi Yang¹ Jing Wu² Jinmin Liu^3*

• ¹Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
• ²Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
• ³Dongfang Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China

Background and objective: Post-stroke constipation (PSC) is a common complication of strokes that seriously affects the recovery and quality of life of patients, and effective treatments are needed. Acupuncture is a viable treatment option, but current evidence is insufficient to support its efficacy and safety. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture in the treatment of PSC.

Methods: A systematic search of eight databases was conducted to identify PSC-related randomized clinical trials from the inception of each database through May 2023. Methodological quality assessment was conducted by RoB 2.0, meta-analysis was conducted by RevMan 5.3 and Stata 15.1, and evidence quality was evaluated by GRADE. Moreover, reporting quality of acupuncture interventions was assessed using the Standards for Reporting Interventions in Clinical Trials of Acupuncture (STRICTA).

Results: Thirty RCTs involving 2,220 patients were identified. We found that acupuncture was superior to conventional treatment (CT) in improving total responder rate [risk ratio (RR): 1.16, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.09 to 1.25, p < 0.0001], decreasing constipation symptom scores [standardized mean difference (SMD): -0.65, 95% CI: −0.83 to −0.46, p < 0.00001], increasing serum P substance (SP) levels (SMD: 1.92, 95% CI: 0.47 to 3.36, p = 0.009), reducing the time to first bowel movement (BM) (SMD: -1.19, 95% CI: −2.13 to −0.25, p = 0.01), and lowing serum vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) levels (SMD: –2.11, 95% CI: −3.83 to −0.38, p = 0.02). Furthermore, acupuncture plus CT was superior regarding total responder rate (RR: 1.26, 95% CI: 1.17 to 1.35, p < 0.00001), serum SP levels (SMD: 2.00, 95% CI: 1.65–2.35, p < 0.00001), time to first BM (SMD: –2.08, 95% CI: −2.44 to −1.71, p < 0.00001), and serum VIP levels (SMD: –1.71, 95% CI: −2.24 to −1.18, p < 0.00001). However, regarding Bristol Stool Scale (BSS) score, acupuncture plus CT was superior to CT (SMD: -2.48, 95% CI: −3.22 to −1.73, p < 0.00001), while there was no statistically significant difference between acupuncture and CT (SMD: 0.28, 95% CI: −0.02 to 0.58, p = 0.07). Acupuncture causes fewer AEs than CT (RR: 0.13, 95% CI: 0.06 to 0.26, p < 0.00001), though there was no statistically significant difference between acupuncture plus CT vs. CT (RR: 1.30, 95% CI: 0.60 to 2.84, p = 0.51).

Conclusion: Acupuncture may be an effective and safe therapy for PSC. However, given the inferior quality of clinical data, additional well-designed RCTs are required to confirm these findings.

1. Introduction

Stroke is one of the top three global disease burdens (GBD 2019 Stroke Collaborators, 2021), and post-stroke constipation (PSC) is a common complication with a prevalence of 50–70% in stroke patients (Su et al., 2009; Liu Q. et al., 2018; Liu Z. et al., 2018). PSC seriously affects the treatment and rehabilitation of stroke (Harris and Chang, 2022), leading to decreased quality of life, prolonged hospitalization, and increased healthcare costs. PSC also induces or aggravates other complications like post-stroke depression and may lead to recurrent stroke and death (Sumida et al., 2019), placing a substantial burden on the national healthcare system.

The exact mechanism of PSC is unclear. Studies suggest a close relationship with autonomic dysfunction (Liu Q. et al., 2018; Liu Z. et al., 2018), multidrug usage (Su et al., 2009), dietary changes, and reduced activity (Lim et al., 2015). Recently, the brain-gut axis has received much attention as a bi-directional channel between the gastrointestinal tract and the autonomic nerves of the central nervous system that uses a variety of neurotransmitters, brain-gut peptides, and gut microbes (Carabotti et al., 2015; Camilleri, 2021; Xu et al., 2021), which are considered relevant to the development of PSC. Because of the lack of clinical and basic research related to PSC, current treatment strategies are mostly based on clinical practice guidelines for functional constipation (Chang et al., 2022, 2023), such as the use of laxatives, 5-hydroxytryptamine type 4 agonists, and enemas. However, relief is usually temporary, and side effects such as bloating, diarrhea, colon damage, melanosis coli, and cardiovascular adverse events cannot be ignored (Gilsenan et al., 2019; Chang et al., 2022, 2023). Safer and more effective alternative treatments are urgently needed.

Acupuncture is a complementary and alternative medicine of Chinese origin, of which the most common forms include manual acupuncture (MA), electroacupuncture (EA), moxibustion, and warm acupuncture (WA). Studies demonstrate that acupuncture is a relatively safe alternative to laxatives that effectively alleviates gastrointestinal and neurological symptoms in patients (Wang et al., 2015; Liu et al., 2016; Pei et al., 2020; Lu et al., 2022; Zheng et al., 2022). Moreover, electrophysiology studies have shown that acupuncture regulates autonomic nerves and gastrointestinal hormones by transmitting signals from somatic stimulation to the central nervous system via the upper spinal cord, thereby affecting gastrointestinal tract function (Takahashi, 2013).

Clearly, acupuncture may be an effective and safe complementary and alternative therapy to improve PSC. Previous meta-analyses (Yang et al., 2014; Tang et al., 2020) have investigated the therapeutic effects of acupuncture on PSC, but their conclusions require further validation because of deficiencies in outcome indicators, included literature, and controls for confounding factors. Therefore, to further confirm the efficacy and safety of the treatment, we conducted a comprehensive evaluation of the available clinical evidence on the latest randomized clinical trial (RCT) data of acupuncture for PSC

More at link.

A Common Probiotic Could Boost Brain Health in Older Adults

Hopefully your doctor is treating your constipation the correct way. But this isn't totally proven yet, so ask your doctor to followup.

The incidence of constipation for stroke was 48%. 

 

Laxative use may be linked to dementia risk, study says

The latest here:

 A Common Probiotic Could Boost Brain Health in Older Adults

It’s said the way to one’s heart is through the stomach, but it looks like the way to a healthy brain is by dropping a deuce regularly. According to new research presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Amsterdam this week, chronic constipation appears to be linked to worsening cognitive abilities, likely due to an imbalance of gut bacteria causing inflammation.While the study has yet to be peer-reviewed, it emphasizes a link between cognition and the microbiome — microorganisms like bacteria, viruses, and fungi living rent-free in and on our bodies — that hasn’t gone unnoticed. There’s still a whole lot we don’t know about the microbiome, but what we do know suggests these microscopic houseguests can be manipulated to improve our own health. Mashael Aljumaah, a doctoral student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) and North Carolina State University. In findings presented Monday at the American Society for Nutrition in Boston, Aljumaah and her colleagues at UNC and Kent State University in Ohio found that for older adults, a daily probiotic containing gut-friendly Lactobacillus rhamnosus helped improve mild cognitive impairment by resetting the imbalance in gut bacteria.

While the study has yet to be peer-reviewed, it emphasizes a link between cognition and the microbiome — microorganisms like bacteria, viruses, and fungi living rent-free in and on our bodies — that hasn’t gone unnoticed. There’s still a whole lot we don’t know about the microbiome, but what we do know suggests these microscopic houseguests can be manipulated to improve our own health.

To offset cognitive decline, it could be as simple as a daily probiotic, says Mashael Aljumaah, a doctoral student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) and North Carolina State University. In findings presented Monday at the American Society for Nutrition in Boston, Aljumaah and her colleagues at UNC and Kent State University in Ohio found that for older adults, a daily probiotic containing gut-friendly Lactobacillus rhamnosus helped improve mild cognitive impairment by resetting the imbalance in gut bacteria.

 

While further research is needed, these findings lend to new avenues of tackling cognitive decline whether due to aging or neurological conditions like dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

 

Bowel movement frequency, gut microbiome linked to cognitive function

 

You already lost 5 years because of your stroke. Ask your doctor how you are going to make up those lost years. The best way to prevent constipation is for your doctor to get you 100% recovered so you can walk or run enough.

With this problem is your doctor solving constipation the right way?

The incidence of constipation for stroke was 48%. 

 

Laxative use may be linked to dementia risk, study says

Don't do the following, I'm not medically trained.

Marijuana use linked with decreased constipation

The latest here:

Bowel movement frequency, gut microbiome linked to cognitive function

Key takeaways:

• Study assessed more than 112,000 individuals.
• Constipated participants had significantly worse cognition, equal to 3 years of aging, compared with those with once-daily bowel movements.

Chronic constipation was associated with worse cognitive function, equal to 3 years of additional aging, according to research presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference.

“Interventions for preventing constipation and improving gut health include adopting healthy diets enriched with foods such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains, taking fiber supplementation, drinking plenty of water every day and having regular physical activity,” senior study investigator Dong Wang, MD, ScD, assistant professor at Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, said in a related release.

According to research from Harvard and the University of Massachusetts Amherst, frequency of bowel movements and relative health of the gut microbiome are linked to cognitive function. Image: Adobe Stock

Wang, along with presenter Chaoran Ma, MD, PhD, assistant professor of nutrition at University of Massachusetts Amherst School of Public Health & Health Sciences, and colleagues sought to examine associations between frequency of bowel movements, the gut microbiome, cognitive function and dementia risk.

They assessed 112,753 adults from the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS), Nurses’ Health Study II (NHSII) and Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (HPFS) and also evaluated the role of the gut microbiome in a sub-cohort of 515 NHSII and HPFS participants.

Researchers collected data on bowel movement frequency in 2012 and 2013 and subjective cognitive function from 2014 to 2017 in all participants. They also determined objective cognitive function via neuropsychological testing from 2014 to 2018 in 12,696 NHSII participants.

According to results, participants with bowel movement frequency of every 3 days or less experienced significantly worse cognition, equivalent to 3 years (95% CI, 1.2-4.7) of cognitive aging, compared with those who had once-daily bowel movements.

Researchers also reported that both constipation and bowel movement frequencies of at least two times per day were associated with subjective cognitive decline (OR = 1.73; 95% CI, 1.6-1.86 and OR = 1.37; 95% CI, 1.33-1.44, respectively) compared with once-daily bowel movements.

Further, data showed that bowel movement frequency and subjective cognition were significantly associated with overall variation of the gut microbiome. Specifically, butyrate producers were diminished in participants with less frequent bowel movements and poorer cognitive function, while an increase in proinflammatory species was linked with more frequent bowel movement frequency ( 2/day) and worse cognition.

“These results stress the importance of clinicians discussing gut health, especially constipation, with their older patients,” Wang said in the release.

Reference:

• Constipation associated with worse cognition, more cognitive aging. https://aaic.alz.org/releases_2023/constipation-gut-health-alzheimers-dementia-risk.asp. Published July 19, 2023. Accessed July 19, 2023.

Intestinal Drug Shown to Boost Memory and Cognition

Some safety stuff already done, so get your hospital to test this out in stroke survivors to see if it solves our memory problems.

Identification and Validation of Major Cardiovascular Events in the United Kingdom Data Sources Included in a Multi-database Post-authorization Safety Study of Prucalopride

The latest here:

 

Intestinal Drug Shown to Boost Memory and Cognition

Neuroscience News

1 week ago

Summary: Prucalopride, a medication commonly prescribed to treat constipation, may help improve memory and cognition. People prescribed the drug for 6 days performed better in memory tests and had increased activity in brain areas associated with cognition.

Source: European Society of Neuropsychopharmacology

The development of drugs to treat cognitive problems in patients with mental illness may be a step closer after a team of researchers discovered that an existing drug – used to treat constipation – may be able to boost our ability to think more clearly.

Severe psychiatric disorders can have a devastating impact on a patient’s life. Cognitive impairments – ranging from decreased attention and working memory to disrupted social cognition and language – are widespread in psychiatric disorders such as major depression, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder. These common problems are poorly treated with current medications and often have a large impact on people’s lives, and so scientists are searching for ways of improving or restoring these functions.

Previous animal studies have shown that the drugs which target one of the serotonin receptors (the 5-HT₄ receptor) have shown promise in improving cognitive function (serotonin is the neurotransmitter which is targeted by SSRI antidepressants). However, it has been difficult to translate these animal findings into humans because of worries about side effects.

Now a group of UK researchers have tested an existing approved drug, prucalopride, which targets the 5-HT₄ receptor, and found that it may improve cognition. Prucalopride is primarily prescribed for constipation, and has an acceptable level of side effects if taken under medical supervision.

44 healthy volunteers aged 18-36 participated in the trial. 23 were given prucalopride, and 21 were given a placebo. After 6 days all the volunteers were given an fMRI brain scan. Before entering the MRI scanner, volunteers were shown a series of images of animals and landscapes. They viewed these again plus similar images during the scan. After the scan, volunteers performed a memory test: they were asked to distinguish the images they had seen before and during the scan from a set of completely new images.

Presenting the work at the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology conference in Lisbon (with simultaneous publication, see below), lead researcher, Dr Angharad de Cates of the University of Oxford said, “Participants who had taken prucalopride for 6 days performed much better than those receiving placebo on the memory test; the prucalopride group identified 81% of previously viewed images versus 76% in the placebo group. Statistical tests indicate that this was a fairly large effect – such an obvious cognitive improvement with the drug was a surprise to us”.

The researchers found that, compared with those taking the placebo, the volunteers taking prucalopride were both significantly better at the memory test after the scan, and also had fMRI scans indicating enhanced activity in brain areas related to cognition. The increased activity was in areas associated with memory, such as the hippocampus (in the centre of the brain) and the right angular gyrus (towards the rear of the brain).

Dr Susannah Murphy (Senior Research Fellow, University of Oxford and a senior author of the study) said, “Even when the low mood associated with depression is well treated with conventional antidepressants, many patients continue to experience problems with their memory.  Our study provides exciting early evidence in humans of a new approach that might be a helpful way to treat these residual cognitive symptoms”.

Illustration: fMRI brain scans, showing the increased brain activity in the right angular gyrus in the prucalopride group versus the placebo group. Credit: Angharad De Cates

Angharad de Cates said “This is a proof-of-concept study, and so a starting point for further investigation.  We are currently planning and undertaking further studies looking at prucalopride and other 5HT₄ agonists in patient and clinically vulnerable populations, to see if our findings in healthy volunteers can be replicated and have clinical importance”. 

Prucalopride is a 5-HT₄ agonist which is taken primarily for constipation. It doesn’t have significant side effects if taken under medical supervision, although doctors caution of the possibility of headache, gastro-intestinal symptoms such as abdominal pain, nausea and diarrhoea, and fatigue or dizziness; there were no significant side-effects shown by any of the volunteers taking prucalopride in this study.

Commenting, Dr Vibe Frokjaer (Adjunct Professor, Dept. Psychology, Copenhagen University) said:

“This study highlights a very interesting and much needed potential for repurposing drugs to help cognitive dysfunction, which is often associated with psychiatric disorders even in remitted states. Importantly, as the authors also state, it will be vital to translate these findings from healthy populations into clinical populations. It will also be important to understand if prucalopride adds to the effects of existing antidepressant treatments, or can be used as a stand-alone therapy”.

About this memory and neuropharmacology research news

Author: Tom Parkhill
Source: European Society of Neuropsychopharmacology
Contact: Tom Parkhill – European Society of Neuropsychopharmacology
Image: The image is credited to Angharad De Cates

 

Constipation drug shows promise for memory enhancement

Some safety stuff already done, so get your hospital to test this out in stroke survivors to see if it solves our memory problems.

Identification and Validation of Major Cardiovascular Events in the United Kingdom Data Sources Included in a Multi-database Post-authorization Safety Study of Prucalopride

The latest here:

Constipation drug shows promise for memory enhancement

 

Reuters Health Medical News|October 6, 2021

Prucalopride, a selective serotonin-4 (5-HT4)-receptor agonist primarily used for constipation, may help with memory and thinking, according to new research.

In a small study of healthy young adults, those who took prucalopride for six days performed better on a memory test that than peers taking placebo, with the prucalopride group identifying 81% of previously viewed images versus 76% of the placebo group (P=0.029).

"Statistical tests indicate that this was a fairly large effect - such an obvious cognitive improvement with the drug was a surprise to us," Dr. Angharad de Cates of the University of Oxford, in the U.K., said in a news release.

She presented the study at the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP) conference in Lisbon, Portugal, with simultaneous publication in Translational Psychiatry.

Drugs that target the 5-HT4 receptor have shown promise in improving cognitive function in animal studies. In an earlier study, Dr. de Cates and colleagues showed that a single 1-mg dose of prucalopride has pro-cognitive effects across three different tasks of learning and memory.

To investigate further, they studied 44 adults aged 18 to 36 years; 23 took prucalopride (1-mg daily) and 21 took a placebo.

After six days, all participants had a functional MRI brain scan. Before the scan, they were shown a series of images of animals and landscapes. During the scan, they were shown the same images plus similar images. Following the scan, they took a memory test where they were asked to distinguish the images they had seen before and during the scan from a set of completely new images.

"We found that participants who had received six days of prucalopride treatment were significantly better at recalling previously seen neutral images and distinguishing them from new images," the study team reports in their paper.

"At a neural level, prucalopride bilaterally increased hippocampal activity and activity in the right angular gyrus compared with placebo," they add.

"Taken together, these findings demonstrate the potential of 5-HT4-receptor activation for cognitive enhancement in humans, and support the potential of this receptor as a treatment target for cognitive impairment," they conclude.

"This is a proof-of-concept study, and so a starting point for further investigation," Dr. de Cates cautioned in the news release.

"We are currently planning and undertaking further studies looking at prucalopride and other 5-HT4 agonists in patient and clinically vulnerable populations, to see if our findings in healthy volunteers can be replicated and have clinical importance," she added.

—Reuters Staff

To read more, click here

Bowel dysfunction in patients with brain damage resulting from stroke and traumatic brain injury: a retrospective study of a case series

Has your doctor done anything with this in the past 7 years?  Do you prefer your incompetence being NOT KNOWING. Or NOT DOING?

Bowel dysfunction in patients with brain damage resulting from stroke and traumatic brain injury: a retrospective study of a case series  Oct./Dec. 2012

 

Cinthia Carlos Dourado^I; Tânia Mara Nascimento de Miranda Engler^II; Sandro Barbosa de Oliveira^III
INurse. Neurologic Rehabilitation Program, SARAH Rehabilitation Hospital Network. Federal District, Brazil. E-mail: cinthiadourado@gmail.com
^IIPh.D. candidate, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, Universidade de Brasília (UnB). Nurse. Neurologic Rehabilitation Program, SARAH Rehabilitation Hospital Network. Federal District, Brazil. E-mail: tania0877@hotmail.com
^IIIStatistician. National Quality Control Center, SARAH Rehabilitation Hospital Network. Federal District, Brazil. E-mail: sndr@terra.com.br
Correspondence

---

ABSTRACT
Bowel dysfunction is a common complaint among patients with brain damage due to stroke and traumatic brain injury. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of bowel dysfunction (anal incontinence and intestinal constipation) in patients with brain damage due to stroke and traumatic brain injury admitted for rehabilitation. This is a retrospective case series study, based on the analysis of data from 138 charts of patients admitted in the first half of 2009. The prevalence of bowel dysfunction was 41%, with 33 (24%) cases of anal incontinence and 37 (27%) cases of intestinal constipation. Motor impairment, mobility aid, changes in memory and communication were associated with the presence of anal incontinence. The prevalence of bowel dysfunction is high in this population. Early identification of the symptoms and its related factors promoting bowel retraining, may help to improve the quality of life of patients with bowel dysfunction.

Marijuana use linked with decreased constipation

Can your doctor put two and two together? Or your doctor could get you 100% recovered so you could do the exercises needed to prevent constipation.  Doing nothing is not a option. 

The incidence of constipation for stroke was 48%.

The latest here:

Marijuana use linked with decreased constipation

Adejumo AC, et al. Am J Gastroenterol. 2019;doi:10.14309/ajg.0000000000000441.

December 2, 2019

Individuals who recently used marijuana were less likely to experience constipation, according to study results published in The American Journal of Gastroenterology.
Kyle Staller, MD, MPH, of the division of gastroenterology at Massachusetts General Hospital, and colleagues wrote that recreational cannabis use could potentially modify the gastrointestinal system, but there is currently conflicting evidence about its impact.

See Also

• Guideline adherence required to address constipation concerns
• IBS: Transitioning from a Syndrome to a Disease
• 9 Things to Know About Medical Therapies for IBS

“Current evidence suggests that cannabinoids slow colonic transit through actions on the CB1receptor,” they wrote. “However, a recent clinical trial reported that hemp seed pills improved constipation symptoms among patients with functional constipation, suggesting that the summative effect of the separate cannabinoids in the marijuana plant might have a unique effect on bowel motility.”
To explore the effect of marijuana use on bowel function, researchers identified adults (aged 20–59 years) who completed a drug and bowel health questionnaire in the National Health and Nutrition Examination survey over a 6-year period from 2005 to 2010 (n = 9,645). They estimated the likelihood of constipation or diarrhea — defined by Bristol Stool Form Scale and/or frequency criteria — according to marijuana use status.

Individuals who recently used marijuana were less likely to experience constipation, according to study results

Shutterstock

Overall, Staller and colleagues found that the prevalence of constipation was lower among individuals who reported recent marijuana use compared with those with past or never use (7.5% vs. 10.2%; P = .03). Recent marijuana use was also associated with decreased odds of constipation (crude OR = 0.71; 95% CI, 0.56–0.98).
This decrease persisted after adjusting for age and demographic factors (adjusted OR = 0.64; 95% CI, 0.49–0.83), comorbidities, substance use, constipating medication, general health condition, rigorous physical activity and emotional disturbances (aOR = 0.68; 95% CI, 0.48–0.93) and diet (aOR = 0.68; 95% CI, 0.52–0.89).
There was no association between recent marijuana use and diarrhea.
“Our analysis is the first population-based human clinical study of marijuana and bowel function providing important insights into the aggregate effects of the various components of the marijuana plant on constipation,” Staller and colleagues wrote. “Owing to the high prevalence and burden of constipation in combination with the increasing availability of both recreational and medicinal cannabis, further studies are needed to identify how use of whole cannabis, dierent marijuana strains, and frequency of marijuana use exert their apparent effects on constipation.” – by Alex Young
Disclosures: Staller reports receiving research support from AstraZeneca, Gelesis and Takeda. He also reports serving as a speaker for Shire and as a consultant to Bayer and Shire. Please see the full study for all other author’s relevant financial disclosures.