CDP-Choline (Citicoline)
Endogenous nucleotide that hydrolyzes to choline and cytidine upon oral absorption. Choline feeds acetylcholine synthesis. Cytidine converts to uridine, which upregulates phosphatidylcholine synthesis in neuronal membranes and enhances dopamine receptor density in the striatum. Dual cholinergic and dopaminergic support in a single molecule. Neuroprotective effects documented in ischemic stroke recovery.
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- PMID:24504852Citicoline in the treatment of acute ischaemic stroke: an international randomised multicentre placebo-controlled study (ICTUS trial) — Lancet, 2012
- PMID:25925774Citicoline improves memory performance in elderly subjects — Aging Clin Exp Res, 2015
- PMID:15852398CDP-choline pharmacology and clinical review — Methods Find Exp Clin Pharmacol, 2005
CDP-Choline is the cholinergic that does more than choline delivery. The cytidine-to-uridine conversion pathway gives you phospholipid membrane synthesis that Alpha-GPC does not provide. The 56-hour half-life of the cytidine component means steady-state accumulation over weeks. This is not a compound you evaluate after three days. The dopaminergic upregulation via D2 receptor density is the mechanism most nootropic users overlook entirely. It is why some people report motivation effects from a choline source.
This is not medical advice
Discuss with a licensed clinician before starting, stopping, or changing any compound. This page documents what the research literature describes — it is not a prescription.
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