Finally, a Supplement That Actually Boosts Memory – Many Already Take It for Better Sleep - melatonin

https://scitechdaily.com ^ | By TOKYO MEDICAL AND DENTAL UNIVERSITY | JANUARY 25, 2021

[Red Badger]

Researchers at Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU) in Japan show that melatonin and its metabolites promote the formation of long-term memories in mice and protect against cognitive decline.

Researchers at Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU) showed that melatonin’s metabolite AMK can enhance the formation of long-term memories in mice. Memory of objects were tested after treatment with melatonin or two of its metabolites. Older mice that normally performed poorly on the memory task showed improvements as dosage increased. The metabolite AMK was found to be the most important as melatonin failed to improve memory if it was blocked from metabolizing into AMK.

Walk down the supplement aisle in your local drugstore and you’ll find fish oil, ginkgo, vitamin E, and ginseng, all touted as memory boosters that can help you avoid cognitive decline. You’ll also find melatonin, which is sold primarily in the United States as a sleep supplement. It now looks like melatonin marketers might have to do a rethink. In a new study, researchers led by Atsuhiko Hattori at Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU) in Japan have shown that melatonin and two of its metabolites help memories stick around in the brain and can shield mice, and potentially people, from cognitive decline.

One of the easiest ways to test memory in mice is to rely on their natural tendency to examine unfamiliar objects. Given a choice, they’ll spend more time checking out unfamiliar objects than familiar ones. The trick is that for something to be familiar, it has to be remembered. Like in people, cognitive decline in mice manifests as poor memory, and when tested on this novel object recognition task, they behave as if both objects are new.

Acute AMK Effects on Long-Term Object Memory Three 1-minute training trials (A) revealed age-associated object memory decline in middle-aged and old mice at 1 day post-training (B). Systemic AMK (1 mg/kg) administered after a single 1-minute training trial enhanced object memory at 1 and 4 days post-training in all age groups (D-F). Data are presented as mean ± standard error. *P < .05 and **P < .01 indicate significantly different than chance performance (50%). Discrimination index (%) = time exploring novel object/ total object exploration time during test X 100. Credit: Department of Biology,TMDU

The group of researchers at TMDU were curious about melatonin’s metabolites, the molecules that melatonin is broken down into after entering the body. “We know that melatonin is converted into N1-acetyl-N2-formyl-5-methoxykynuramine (AFMK) and N1-acetyl-5-methoxykynuramine (AMK) in the brain,” explains Hattori, “and we suspected that they might promote cognition.” To test their hypothesis, the researchers familiarized mice to objects and gave them doses of melatonin and the two metabolites 1 hour later. Then, they tested their memory the next day. They found that memory improved after treatment, and that AMK was the most effective. All three accumulated in the hippocampal region of the brain, a region important for turning experiences into memories.

For young mice, exposure to an object three times in a day is enough for it to be remembered the next day on the novel object recognition task. In contrast, older mice behave as if both objects are new and unfamiliar, a sign of cognitive decline. However, one dose of AMK 15 min after a single exposure to an object, and older mice were able to remember the objects up to 4 days later.

Lastly, the researchers found that long-term memory formation could not be enhanced after blocking melatonin from being converted into AMK in the brain. “We have shown that melatonin’s metabolite AMK can facilitate memory formation in all ages of mice,” says Hattori. “Its effect on older mice is particularly encouraging and we are hopeful that future studies will show similar effects in older people. If this happens, AMK therapy could eventually be used to reduce the severity of Mild Cognitive Impairment and its potential conversion to Alzheimer’s disease.”

Reference: “The melatonin metabolite N1‐acetyl‐5‐methoxykynuramine facilitates long‐term object memory in young and aging mice” by Hikaru Iwashita, Yukihisa Matsumoto, Yusuke Maruyama, Kazuki Watanabe, Atsuhiko Chiba and Atsuhiko Hattori, 30 October 2020, Journal of Pineal Research. DOI: 10.1111/jpi.12703

[A Navy Vet]

What did that say?

[ifinnegan]

Thanks for the post.

Interesting but taking it as a daily supplement as people would do is not the same as the experimental design of this study.

[systemjim]

You may have a great memory, but will sleep your life away! :-)

[Red Badger]

I forgot........................

[Does so]

After stent surgery, I was taken off melatonin.

Not that it mattered, all I could think of was cheese.

[Lizavetta]

I wish melatonin worked for me. Or CBD oil, or chamomile tea, or Advil PM, or anything.

[z3n]

I wish melatonin worked for me. Or CBD oil, or chamomile tea, or Advil PM, or anything.

~~~

Same...
CBD does absolutely nothing for me.
Chamomile is slightly noticable but very mild.
I only tried melatonin after I read the Cleveland clinic study that said it can shorten Covid infectiousness, but it didn’t make me tired or sleep differently.

Valerian Root works for me though.
I rarely ever have insomnia but when I do, about 45 min after taking it zzzzzzzz

[Red Badger]

When all else fails, Jack Daniels........................

[steve86]

Melatonin (10 mg/day for sleep) doesn’t help my memory but Lion’s Mane mushroom (Hericium Erin’s CEUs) definitely does. It promotes nerve growth factor. Have to take it about two weeks to notice, then words, names are retrieved easier and feel a clarity of mind.

[ifinnegan]

“Not that it mattered, all I could think of was cheese.”

Are you serious?

Interesting if so.

[Yaelle]

CBD oil is more effective when mixed with thc. It will make you tired so only take at bedtime. The sublingual drops come at different ratios, like 2:1 (CBD to thc), 3:1, 4:1. Of course it has to be legal in your state and if you are drug tested you will test + for cannabis. It helps for chronic pain as well, but could take a few weeks to keep the cannabinol receptors full and you notice less pain or less bouts. But that helps if you run out; the receptors will again take 2 weeks to empty and give you time to get more.

[IrishBrigade]

‘I wish melatonin worked for me. Or CBD oil, or chamomile tea, or Advil PM, or anything.’

try watching Hallmark Channel movies...

[Exit148]

Yes on the Lion’s Mane mushroom.

[NEMDF]

Forensic Files or The First 48 - both have very monotone narration, IMO. Turn the volume to where you can’t quite hear it, set the sleep timer for 30 minutes. ZZZZZZZZZZ

[FreshPrince]

Same way...

none of that crap works on me either..add to the list Zquil,hydrocodone, meloxican, nocor (sp), trazadone... all to relieve pain and help sleep after rotator cuff surgury. Only thing that works is time.

[FreshPrince]

Oh yeah did I mention medical marijuana dont work either?

[a fool in paradise]

Do you take fresh lion’s main mushroom or capsules?

Are there recommended brands?

I saw it in the grocery store (fresh) for all of about 2 weeks and thus not in steady supply to be effectively taken on a regular basis.

[jonrick46]

I wonder how many people will buy the melatonin and not remember they should take the metabolite AMK, they would be wasting their money. AMK (N1-Acetyl-5-Methoxykynuramine), as far as I know, is not being offered by any of the health supplement suppliers. So, by the time it is offered, many won’t remember a thing about it.

[Red Badger]

Remember what?.........................