13 replies to this topic

[maxwatt]

Surprised to learn that losartan, a common and inexpensive prescription blood pressure medication, is also a cognitive enhancer.
The drug is an ARB (Angiotensin Receptor Antagonist). Prescribed as a second-line hypertension medication, it seems to improve at least one aspect of memory in normo-tensive young adults, as well as protecting against drug impairment by scopolamine. (Prospective memory is the ability remember to perform an action or series of actions at a planned time.) I wonder if other ARBs have similar effect, or if it is unique to this drug. PMID: 21484242

Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2011 Sep;217(1):51-60. doi: 10.1007/s00213-011-2257-9. Epub 2011 Apr 12.

Cognitive enhancement following acute losartan in normotensive young adults.

Mechaeil R, Gard P, Jackson A, Rusted J.

Source

School of Psychology, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton BN19QH, UK.

Abstract


RATIONALE:

Losartan, an angiotensin II receptor antagonist (AIIA), is an antihypertensive that has previously been suggested to have cognitive-enhancing potential for older adults. The objective indices for such effects are equivocal, however, and if these drugs do offer dual advantages of hypertension control plus cognitive-enhancing potential, there exists a clear need to establish this directly.
OBJECTIVES:

This work examines the potential of losartan administered as a single dose to healthy young adults to improve cognitive performance alone or to reverse scopolamine-induced cognitive decrements.
METHODS:

In two placebo-controlled, double-blind studies, participants completed a cognitive test battery once before and once after drug absorption. In experiment 1, participants were randomly allocated to receive placebo, losartan 50 mg or losartan 100 mg. In experiment 2, participants were randomly allocated to one of four treatment groups: placebo/placebo, placebo/scopolamine, losartan/scopolamine and losartan/placebo (50 mglosartan p.o. and 1.2 mg scopolamine hydrochloride p.o.).
RESULTS:

Losartan 50 mg improved performance on a task of prospective memory when administered alone and reversed the detrimental effects of scopolamine both in a standard lexical decision paradigm (p < 0.01) and when the task incorporated a prospective memory component (p < 0.008).
CONCLUSIONS:

The findings highlight a cognitive-enhancing potential for losartan on compromised cognitive systems and emphasise the potential of AIIAs to produce benefits over and above hypertension control. PMID: 21484242

[nightlight]

The wording is vague leaving unclear whether statistical significance applies only to reversal of scopolamine effects or for both groups. Another problem is that they look only at acute effects, which is relevant considering the steep dose/response U curve with the claimed positive effect ocurring only in 50 mg group but not in 100mg or 0 mg. Did you read the full paper?

[spookytooth]

I took Losartan for a short period of time and unlike Candesartan it seemed to worsen cognitive functioning.

Nimodipine is also interesting!
http://summaries.coc...e-with-dementia

[noos]

Maybe I have to start taking blood pressure medication and I dont know which is better, an angio tensin inhibitor or calcium antagonist.

Edited by noos, 29 July 2013 - 06:50 AM.

[maxwatt]

The wording is vague leaving unclear whether statistical significance applies only to reversal of scopolamine effects or for both groups. Another problem is that they look only at acute effects, which is relevant considering the steep dose/response U curve with the claimed positive effect ocurring only in 50 mg group but not in 100mg or 0 mg. Did you read the full paper?

Losartan 50 mg improved performance on a task of prospective memory when administered alone

That seems to show indicate it applies to non-scopolamine group

and reversed the detrimental effects of scopolamine

and that it is protective against the insult of scopolamine.

Haven't gotten the whole paper yet, hoped someone here might have access.

[maxwatt]

Maybe I have to start taking blood pressure medication and I dont know which is better, an angio tensin inhibitor or calcium antagonist.

Calcium blockers slow the heart even during exercise. This may not be good for performance. For mildly elevated blood pressure, I wouldn't think it should be the first choice.

ACE inhibitors such as Ramapril induce a severe cough in many patients; the second line is ARBs, angiotensin receptor blockers. These are less likely to induce a chronic cough. One ARB, Telmisartan, has been shown to be more effective than Ramapril at lowering BP. But Telmisartan is more expensive than Losartan,

[xks201]

I've been on Losartan for a while. I wouldn't call it a nootropic at all really. lol

[noos]

I've been on Losartan for a while. I wouldn't call it a nootropic at all really. lol

What is your dose and side effects?

[xks201]

I've been on Losartan for a while. I wouldn't call it a nootropic at all really. lol

What is your dose and side effects?

100mg 1x/day. No side effects though at one point for some reason it was giving me gut inflammation. Sometimes I'll notice a minor quick cognitive improvement but now I don't notice much of anything in the way of benefits or side effects aside from somewhat lower BP.

[mait]

I have been using losartan for 3 years now dosing 50mg a day. The most pronounced effect I can attest to is the perceived subjective feeling of anti-depressive and anti-anxiety effect of losartan.

[noos]

I have been using losartan for 3 years now dosing 50mg a day. The most pronounced effect I can attest to is the perceived subjective feeling of anti-depressive and anti-anxiety effect of losartan.

That is great!

[Dorothy Higgin]

Losartan has recently been found to be a cognitive enhancer. It improved memory in people with normal blood pressure under standard conditions, as well as during memory-impaired tasks (coadministration of scopolamine). Look more http://www.internati.../losartan.shtml

[APBT]

 

Haven't gotten the whole paper yet, hoped someone here might have access.

 

 

FULL TEXT:

Attached Files

•  Cognitive enhancement following acute losartan in normotensive young adults.pdf   251.35KB   6 downloads

[magta39]

been using 100mg Losartan a day for 1 year, don't really notice any cognitive benefit except less anxiety....I had to cut way back on the other supps I was taking for anxiety such as Mg, theanine, inositol

Brain and peripheral angiotensin II play a major role in stress.

Saavedra JM¹, Benicky J.

Author information

Abstract

Angiotensin II (Ang II), the active principle of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS), was discovered as a vasoconstrictive, fluid retentive circulating hormone. It was revealed later that there are local RAS in many organs, including the brain. The physiological receptor for Ang II, the AT(1) receptor type, was found to be highly expressed in many tissues and brain areas involved in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis response to stress and in the sympathoadrenal system. The production of circulating and local Ang II, and the expression of AT(1) receptors increase during stress. Blockade of peripheral and brain AT(1) receptors with receptor antagonists administered peripherally prevented the hormonal and sympathoadrenal response to isolation stress, the stress-related alterations in cortical CRF(1) and benzodiazepine receptors, part of the GABA(A) complex, and reduced anxiety in rodents. AT(1) receptor blockade prevented the ulcerations of the gastric mucosa produced by cold-restraint stress, by preservation of the gastric blood flow, prevention of the stress-induced inflammatory response of the gastric mucosa, and partial blockade of the sympathoadrenal response to the stress. Our observations demonstrate that Ang II is an important stress hormone, and that blockade of AT(1) receptors could be proposed as a potentially useful therapy for stress-induced disorders.