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Now Where Did I Put My Keys?

We’ve all experienced those frustrating moments when we can’t remember the simplest thing – something we know as well as we know our name – something we know is somewhere in our brain, but we just can’t retrieve it on command! Unfortunately, these “senior moments” occur more frequently as we get older, and in about 15% of Americans, they progressively worsen into senility.    

Scientists have not yet been able to explain why senility happens, but it is probably linked to a variety of age-related changes in the brain. The physical size of the brain decreases, and with it the number of nerve cells, or neurons. 

Often there is decreased blood flow to the brain due to fatty deposits that accumulate on the walls of blood vessels. The brain is a very active organ and requires a continuous supply of nutrients and oxygen, so when blood flow is impaired, some neurons literally starve to death.  

Another important change is a decline in the production of neurotransmitters, the chemical messengers brain cells use to communicate across microscopic gaps called synapses. One neurotransmitter that is particularly important for storing and retrieving memories is acetylcholine (ah-see-tel-KOH-leen) or ACh. ACh is abundant in an area of the brain called the hippocampus, so named because early anatomists thought it looked like a little sea horse (hippocampus is the Latin word for sea horse). The hippocampus is the seat of memorization in the brain.  

The raw materials for ACh include the nutrient choline, a B vitamin-like compound that is found in the diet. Choline is converted to ACh in the brain with the help of a particular enzyme. With age, levels of this key enzyme in the brain decline, and therefore, the supply of ACh in the brain also diminishes. Deficits of ACh have been linked to a number of neurological conditions that are characterized by loss of memory, loss of the ability to store new memories and emotional disturbances. 

Thanks to advances in nutrition science, it is now possible to raise brain levels of ACh through dietary supplementation with a substance called citicoline. Citicoline, sold under the brand name Cognizin®, has been shown to improve memory by improving two vital components of brain function: one, it restores levels of ACh so that neurons are better able to communicate with one another; and two, it stabilizes the membranes of neurons. Membranes surround every cell in the body and play critical functions in regulating nutrients and other compounds that flow in and out of the cell. When the membrane functions optimally, the cell is healthier.

Citicoline has been tested in both animal and human studies and has been shown to help maintain memory and performance in healthy individuals.^1,2 Some evidence suggests it may even help reverse age-related changes in people with mild memory problems.^3,4 For example, in studies of patients with chronic cerebrovascular disease (reduced blood flow to the brain), supplementation with citicoline has significantly and consistently improved memory and behavioral control.⁵ 

Since citicoline is also found naturally in the body, it is known to be a very safe substance.

Health conscious individuals who want to preserve their ability to think and remember well into their senior years may want to consider supplementation with citicoline along with their other health-promoting habits, like exercise and a balanced diet. Citicoline can't stop time, bit it just may help you remember where you put your keys.