LAXATIVE USED AGAINST CONStipation CAN IMPROVE MEMORY, CONCENTRATION AND EVEN SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION, STUDY FINDS
A medication widely used to treat chronic constipation, popularly known as constipation, could represent new hope for millions of people living with cognitive difficulties related to depression. The discovery was presented in a study published in the scientific journal Psychological Medicine and draws the attention of the medical community as it indicates that the drug prucalopride can improve functions such as memory, concentration and reasoning.
The research revealed that the medication, in addition to acting on the digestive system, also influences serotonin receptors present in the brain, which can contribute to the improvement of symptoms often associated with depressive disorders.
What the study found
The researchers analyzed a group of 50 people aged between 18 and 40 who had faced at least two episodes of depression throughout their lives. All participants had been recovered for at least six months and were not using medication during the research period.
The volunteers were randomly divided into two groups. One of them received a daily dose of 2 milligrams of prucalopride, an amount already approved for the treatment of chronic constipation. The other group received a placebo, without any active ingredient.
Before and after treatment, participants underwent a series of assessments that measured important aspects of brain function, including short-term memory, long-term memory, information processing speed, ability to concentrate, executive function and emotional processing.
The results surprised scientists. People who used prucalopride performed better in cognitive tests, demonstrating greater speed and precision in performing tasks compared to the group that received placebo.
What is the "brain fog" of depression
One of the main focuses of the research was combating the so-called "mental fog", a term used to describe memory, attention, concentration and reasoning difficulties that affect many people with a history of depression.
Experts explain that these symptoms can persist for months or even years, even after mood and depressive symptoms improve. This means that many patients continue to face limitations in their professional, academic and social lives, despite being considered clinically recovered.
According to researchers, precisely because they persist after emotional improvement, these cognitive symptoms have become one of the biggest challenges in treating depression.
Experts consider promising results
Dr Angharad de Cates, from the University of Birmingham and corresponding author of the study, stated that the results obtained are very encouraging.
According to the researcher, cognitive problems associated with depression are often neglected, despite profoundly affecting patients' quality of life. She highlights that research suggests that medications targeting the serotonin 5-HT4 receptor, such as prucalopride, can improve cognitive functioning in people who have previously suffered from depression.
The expert also highlights that the drug already has approval for other clinical use, which could facilitate future research and accelerate possible therapeutic applications.
New possibility for treating depression
Another important aspect highlighted by the researchers is the potential reuse of existing medicines. Instead of developing an entirely new medicine, scientists investigate whether drugs approved for other diseases may offer additional benefits.
Professor Susannah Murphy, from the University of Oxford and lead author of the study, explained that many people do not achieve a complete recovery from depression precisely because memory and concentration problems remain present.
According to her, initial evidence shows that medications capable of stimulating 5-HT4 receptors can help restore impaired cognitive functions, opening a new front of research for future treatments.
Research continues
Despite the positive results, experts emphasize that more studies will be needed before prucalopride can be officially recommended to improve cognitive functions associated with depression.
The team responsible for the work continues to investigate ways to combat the cognitive deficits observed in people with major depressive disorder. Among the most common problems are short- and long-term memory failures, attention difficulties, loss of focus and reduced information processing capacity.
If the results are confirmed in larger studies, the drug could represent an innovative alternative to complement current treatments for depression, offering not only improved mood, but also recovery of cognitive abilities affected by the disease.
What the study found
The researchers analyzed a group of 50 people aged between 18 and 40 who had faced at least two episodes of depression throughout their lives. All participants had been recovered for at least six months and were not using medication during the research period.
The volunteers were randomly divided into two groups. One of them received a daily dose of 2 milligrams of prucalopride, an amount already approved for the treatment of chronic constipation. The other group received a placebo, without any active ingredient.
Before and after treatment, participants underwent a series of assessments that measured important aspects of brain function, including short-term memory, long-term memory, information processing speed, ability to concentrate, executive function and emotional processing.
The results surprised scientists. People who used prucalopride performed better in cognitive tests, demonstrating greater speed and precision in performing tasks compared to the group that received placebo.
What is the "brain fog" of depression
One of the main focuses of the research was combating the so-called "mental fog", a term used to describe memory, attention, concentration and reasoning difficulties that affect many people with a history of depression.
Experts explain that these symptoms can persist for months or even years, even after mood and depressive symptoms improve. This means that many patients continue to face limitations in their professional, academic and social lives, despite being considered clinically recovered.
According to researchers, precisely because they persist after emotional improvement, these cognitive symptoms have become one of the biggest challenges in treating depression.
Experts consider promising results
Dr Angharad de Cates, from the University of Birmingham and corresponding author of the study, stated that the results obtained are very encouraging.
According to the researcher, cognitive problems associated with depression are often neglected, despite profoundly affecting patients' quality of life. She highlights that research suggests that medications targeting the serotonin 5-HT4 receptor, such as prucalopride, can improve cognitive functioning in people who have previously suffered from depression.
The expert also highlights that the drug already has approval for other clinical use, which could facilitate future research and accelerate possible therapeutic applications.
New possibility for treating depression
Another important aspect highlighted by the researchers is the potential reuse of existing medicines. Instead of developing an entirely new medicine, scientists investigate whether drugs approved for other diseases may offer additional benefits.
Professor Susannah Murphy, from the University of Oxford and lead author of the study, explained that many people do not achieve a complete recovery from depression precisely because memory and concentration problems remain present.
According to her, initial evidence shows that medications capable of stimulating 5-HT4 receptors can help restore impaired cognitive functions, opening a new front of research for future treatments.
Research continues
Despite the positive results, experts emphasize that more studies will be needed before prucalopride can be officially recommended to improve cognitive functions associated with depression.
The team responsible for the work continues to investigate ways to combat the cognitive deficits observed in people with major depressive disorder. Among the most common problems are short- and long-term memory failures, attention difficulties, loss of focus and reduced information processing capacity.
If the results are confirmed in larger studies, the drug could represent an innovative alternative to complement current treatments for depression, offering not only improved mood, but also recovery of cognitive abilities affected by the disease.