Overview
Citicoline is a compound made up of choline and cytidine with neuroprotective as well as cognition increasing effects. Citicoline decreases age-related memory impairment and cognitive decline, and enhances attention, learning and memory.
Other Common Names
CDP-choline, Cytidine Diphosphocholine
Citicoline Key Mechanisms
After ingestion, CDP-choline originates choline and cytidine, the latter then being converted into uridine [1]
Both choline and uridine are neuroprotective [1]
Choline is a nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonist [2]
Increases the production of acetylcholine, adrenalin and noradrenalin [1]
Increases the release of dopamine by acting on dopamine transporters [3]
Increases phosphatidylcholine production in the brain – an important component of cell membranes [4]
Maintains neuronal membrane integrity and reduces neuronal death [4, 5]
References
- Weiss, G. B. (1995). Metabolism and actions of cdpcholine as an endogenous compound and administered exogenously as citicoline. Life sciences, 56(9), 637-660.
- Levin, E. D. (2013). Complex relationships of nicotinic receptor actions and cognitive functions. Biochemical pharmacology, 86(8), 1145-1152.
- Khosrow Tayebati, S., Tomassoni, D., Ejike Nwankwo, I., Di Stefano, A., Sozio, P., Serafina Cerasa, L., & Amenta, F. (2013). Modulation of monoaminergic transporters by choline-containing phospholipids. CNS & Neurological Disorders-Drug Targets (Formerly Current Drug Targets-CNS & Neurological Disorders), 12(1), 94-103.
- Fagone, P., & Jackowski, S. (2013). Phosphatidylcholine and the CDP–choline cycle. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA)-Molecular and Cell Biology of Lipids, 1831(3), 523-532.
- Dempsey, R. J., & Rao, V. L. R. (2003). Cytidinediphosphocholine treatment to decrease traumatic brain injury—induced hippocampal neuronal death, cortical contusion volume, and neurological dysfunction. Journal of neurosurgery, 98(4), 867-873.
