Piracetam Article

[Guest guest]

Here is an article about Piracetam:

Piracetam: A Powerful Tool for Learning Disabilities and Dyspraxia

By Dorfman, M.S., L.D.N.

Rosie had multiple learning and language disabilities related to a

seizure disorder that had resisted medical treatment. " The little

men in my head make the lights go out, " Rosie told me on her first

visit. ph, a boy with sever language delays, had also been

making little progress. " I never though this would happen, " Rosie's

mother exclaimed excitedly, six months later. She was referring to a

recent test result that revealed her eight year-old daughter was now

reading at a first grade level.

ph's mother was likewise thrilled when a speech evaluation found

her son had gained 13 months in receptive language in just nine

weeks. , a boy with a brain injury, began walking

independently for the first time. Rene, an adopted toddler whose

birth mother abused drugs, overcame an " incurable " swallowing

disorder.

What is responsible for these remarkable changes? Piracetam!

What is Piracetam?

Piracetam, (2 oxo-pyrrolidone) is a " smart drug " developed in

Belgium in the mid-1960's. Briefly introduced to DDR readers three

years ago in an article I wrote about cognitive enhancers (New

Developments, 7:2, 7), this remarkable product falls into a class of

drugs called nootropics. Nootropic means " acting on the mind " .

While hundreds of studies have been done on piracetam's usefulness

and safety in Europe and in the former soviet Union, the U.S. Food

and Drug Administration (FDA) does not recognize nootropics as a

separate class of drugs, although it allows their use for a variety

of purposes. Piracetam has been shown to be extremely effective in

enhancing memory and cognition in children diagnosed with dyslexia

and dyspraxia. It has also been used to slow the rapid brain aging

associated with Down syndrome.

How Does Piracetam work?

Nobody knows for sure; researchers believe that two reactions are at

play. First, piracetam appears to influence glutamate transmission.

All four glutamate neuro-transmitter have excitatory properties.

When piracetam effects the glutamate in the cerebellum, the center

of motor function, motor planning skills improve.

Second, piracetam most likely improves blood flow to the brain and

oxygen uptake by the brain by activating acetylcholine, a

neurotransmitter involved in motor planning, memory and

organization. This activation of acetylcholine uptake and formation

is called a cholinergic effect.

Piracetam's relationship with acetylcholine is complex, though the

net result is cholinergic. Researchers have, therefore, found that

increasing choline, the nutrient building block of acetylcholine,

enhances its effectiveness.

Di-methyl-amino-ethanol (DMAE) is a choline derivative that appears

to cross the blood brain barrier. DMAE is found in sardines and

anchovies, fish often referred to as " brain foods. " Studies done on

DMAE alone found that it reduced hyperactivity and improved

concentration in students with learning disabilities and behavioral

problems.

Finally, piracetam promotes transfer of information from one

hemisphere of the brain to the other. Coordinating the right and

left hemispheres is critical for motor planning. A nine year-old I

know climbed to the top of the jungle gym while taking piracetam

because he could now alternate his limbs more efficiently, and was

thus more confident of his ability to maintain his balance.

How is Piracetam Delivered?

Liquid piracetam is available over-the-counter through www.antiaging-

systems.com or as a powder from www.piracetam.com. Flavored

piracetam in a liquid can be ordered by prescription from NuTriVene

at 800-899-3413

A common dose for piracetam is 50 mg per kg of body weight. DMAE is

available at any good health food store as a chewable, liquid and a

pill. Taken to enhance piracetam, dose it between 50 and 200 mg per

day. Add these substances only one at a time, starting with

piracetam.

Cautionary Notes

Since piracetam and DMAE increase brain energy, they may cause

irritability, anxiety or nervousness in some children. Speak with a

health care professional before introducing piracetam to a child who

is highly agitated already, or who has reacted poorly to DMAE or

other choline derivatives. Ask your doctor before using it with a

child already on stimulant medication. Although there are no known

interactions with other medications, and side effects are rare,

every child is different, and each developing brain responds in a

unique fashion.

I have concluded after using piracetam for over 15 years that,

unfortunately, it has limited usefulness with those who have classic

autism. Piracetam does not increase a child's sociability, but can

help children communicate better in social situations by improving

the pragmatics of language and increasing motor planning skills.

Consider piracetam for any child with dyspraxia or motor planning

problems. I even know a mother who found it benefited her tendency

to bump into things in her path! For more information on piracetam,

go to either of the websites above.