More often than not as we age, we feel our cognitive capacity decreasing. This concept is nothing new to the general public and the medical field alike. Luckily, several studies have shown PQQ to have a positive effect on learning and memory function in animal models. An exciting study in the Journal of Clinical Biochemistry and Nutrition showed in pre-clinical models that the administration of PQQ supplements resulted in improved memory and learning rate (Figure 2)19. The authors of this study conclude that PQQ seems to be a supplement that has the potential for long-term memory and function support.
Not only has PQQ been known to have a multitude of effects to benefit brain function, but it has been shown to have a neuroprotective effect as well. Blood supplies to the brain provide vital nutrients and oxygen required for proper brain function and maintenance. Sadly, this supply can become blocked resulting in ischemia (oxygen deprivation) and damage. PQQ has actually been shown to have a neuroprotective effect in hypoxic conditions as well as in the case of oxidative stress and spinal cord injury20-27.
A large body of evidence provided a basis for PQQ’s vital role in neurological health. This led a group of researchers to test the effects of PQQ in the context of Parkinson’s disease, and they found that PQQ helps guard against the development of a protein that has been linked to early onset of Parkinson’s26. In addition, PQQ has also been found to have a preventative effect in the formation of amyloid-beta molecular structures which have been associated with Alzheimer’s disease27. With cutting-edge research still ongoing, only time will tell what additional, neurological benefits PQQ will provide us.
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