Aniracetam

Potential Benefits of Aniracetam

• Improves cognitive function [1-26]
• Improves mood [27-33]
• Boosts energy levels [34-35]
• Treats alcohol addiction [36-42]
• Improves sleep pattern and quality [43-46]
• Fights stress [47-48]
• Improves sexual health [49-52]

What is Aniracetam?

Aniracetam is a nootropic compound that belongs to the family of racetam compounds. It’s known as a nootropic compound because it has the ability to enhance a number of cognitive functions including memory, concentration, mental endurance, focus, visual perception, and other thinking skills.

How Aniracetam Works?

Aniracetam is a type of nootropic drugs which primarily works as a stimulant and brain enhancer. It works on part of the brain neuron called AMPA receptor. AMPA receptors help signals move quickly between neurons. By stimulating these receptors, memory, concentration, and alertness are improved.

Chemical Structure of Aniracetam

Research on Aniracetam

Improves Cognitive Function

An overwhelming body of high quality studies supports the therapeutic benefits of aniracetam on the brain. According to these studies, aniracetam exerts its brain-boosting effects through the following important mechanisms:

1. In rats, aniracetam increased the release of the neurotransmitter (brain chemical) acetylcholine, which is critical for various brain functions such as learning and memory. [1-4]
2. In rats, aniracetam also increased the levels of the neurotransmitters dopamine (plays a major role in reward-motivated behavior) and serotonin (affects memory). [5-7]
3. In rats, aniracetam enhanced the transmission of electrical signals in the hippocampus, a small region of the brain involved in learning and memory. [8]
4. In elderly patients with mild to moderate cognitive impairment due to senile dementia of the Alzheimer type, aniracetam administration at a dose of 1500 mg/day alleviated memory damage and learning impairments caused by various traumas at 4 and 6 months of treatment. [9]
5. In patients with cognitive impairment, aniracetam prevented further cognitive decline at 6 months of treatment. [10]
6. Aniracetam modulated the activity of the AMPA receptor, which mediates fast transmission of electrical signals in the central nervous system. [11-13]
7. In rat brains, aniracetam boosted the levels of the neurotransmitter noradrenaline or also known as norepinephrine, which enhances cognitive function during stressful situations. [14]
8. In rats, aniracetam enhanced the transmission of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which is necessary to fine-tune communication between nerve cells (neurons). [15]
9. In rats, aniracetam can potentially reverse neurological changes or alleviate symptoms associated with Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. [16-17]
10. In rats, aniracetam administration at a dose of 50 mg/kg bodyweight alleviated some cognitive deficits in the hippocampus caused by Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). [18]
11. In rats, oral aniracetam administration at doses of 10-100 mg/kg reversed cognitive impairment. [19]
12. In aged rats and middle-aged mice, aniracetam increased the levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein that promotes the survival of nerve cells in the brain. [20]
13. In patients with cognitive impairment, aniracetam was shown to be effective and well tolerated. [21]
14. In patients with cognitive impairments, aniracetam was shown to be a promising option for cognitive deficit of mild severity. [22]
15. In rats, aniracetam was effective in treating cognitive impairments induced by traumatic brain injury (TBI). [23]
16. In rodents, aniracetam reduced the severity of impaired cognitive functions. [24]
17. In elderly patients with senile dementia of the Alzheimer’s type (SDAT), aniracetam was effective in treating the symptoms of the condition. [25]
18. In mice, aniracetam was shown to play a role in treating senile dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. [26]

Improves Mood

Studies show that aniracetam may help improve overall mood through its potent antidepressant and anti-anxiety effects.

1. In mice, aniracetam appears to exert potent anti-anxiety properties, which may be mediated by an interaction between cholinergic, dopaminergic and serotonergic systems. [27]
2. In rats, aniracetam acted more effectively at alleviating depression in subjects with brain dysfunction caused by aging. [28]
3. In rats, aniracetam exerted its antidepressant effect by modulating the activity of the AMPA receptor. [29-30]
4. In rats, aniracetam reduced submissive behavior, which is indicative of antidepressant activity. [31]
5. In animals, aniracetam administration reduced depressive symptoms related to mental disorders. [32]
6. In elderly patients suffering from mild to moderate cognitive impairment, aniracetam treatment resulted in significant improvement in psychobehavioral parameters. [33]

Boosts Energy Levels

Aniracetam may help boost energy levels through its beneficial effects on energy metabolism:

1. Rat studies have shown that aniracetam prevents the disturbance of brain energy metabolism such as a decrease in adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which serves as the main source of energy of cells. [34]
2. In one study, researchers found that repeated aniracetam administration in rats resulted in significant improvements in a series of tests assessing motivation and task performance. [35]

Treats Alcohol Addiction

There is increasing evidence that aniracetam may help fight alcohol addiction:

1. Rat studies demonstrated that aniracetam targets specific brain regions involved in alcohol-seeking behavior, thereby reducing alcohol urge. [36-38]
2. The dopamine-boosting effect of aniracetam may also play a role in reducing alcohol addiction since dopamine deficiency is associated with strong alcohol urge. [39-42]

Improves Sleep Pattern and Quality

With its brain-boosting effects, aniracetam may also be beneficial in improving sleep pattern and quality. The following studies support the benefits of aniracetam in various sleeping difficulties:

1. In patients with insomnia, aniracetam supplementation induced a hypnotic effect and was associated with longer sleep duration and deep sleep. [43]
2. In patients with insomnia related to cerebrovascular and noncerebrovascular disorders, aniracetam administration was associated with more than 50% prolongation of sleeping time. [44]
3. In stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats with impaired sleeping patterns, oral doses of aniracetam at 30 mg/kg per day increased rapid eye movement (REM), one of the deepest phases of sleep. [45]
4. In stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats, aniracetam could be useful in improving REM sleep impairment associated with vascular dementia. [46]

Fights Stress

Chronic stress causes prolonged elevation of the stress hormone known as cortisol. This effect negatively affects the body and can lead to suppressed immunity, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, insulin resistance, obesity, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, reduced libido, bone loss, and other life-threatening conditions. Studies support the ability of aniracetam to fight stress:

1. Rat studies show that aniracetam helps protect against the debilitating effects of chronic cortisol elevation by modulating GABA receptors. [47]
2. In mice, aniracetam treatment was shown to be effective against various types of anxiety-related disorders and social failure/impairments. [48]

Improves Sexual Health

Aniracetam has also been shown to exert beneficial effects on sexual health:

1. Numerous studies show that one of the major causes of sexual dysfunction in men and women is dopamine deficiency, and that restoration of this neurotransmitter to normal levels leads to significant improvements in erections, sexual desire and performance. [49-52]

Associated Side Effects of Aniracetam

Aniracetam side effects are very uncommon. There have been some side effects associated with the use of this nootropic wherein the patient had one of the issues listed below at some point while being on aniracetam. However, the issue wasn’t’ confirmed to be caused by the treatment and could have been a coincidence and not related to the use of aniracetam. Despite this, it was listed as a side effect associated with aniracetam even these associated side effects are very uncommon.
Side effects associated with aniracetam may include the following:

• Headaches
• Insomnia
• Irritability
• Jitteriness
• Nausea
• Vomiting

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