Study summary · research use only
Acetyl-L-carnitine affects aged brain receptorial system in rodents
Plain-language summary
Paraphrased from the published abstract below — not a verdict on whether anything works.
This review discusses Acetyl-L-carnitine (ALCAR), the acetyl ester of carnitine, in the context of brain ageing in rodents. The abstract reports that studies have described ALCAR counteracting age-dependent reductions of several receptors in the central nervous system of rodents, including the NMDA receptorial system, Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) receptors, and receptors for glucocorticoids and neurotransmitters. The authors describe an associated influence on synaptic transmission, which is slowed by ageing, and note that carnitine concentrations are diminished in the brain of old animals. The review discusses the potential importance of ALCAR administration in preserving carnitine functionality.
Abstract
Acetyl-L-carnitine (ALCAR), the acetyl ester of carnitine, is regarded as a compound of considerable interest because of its capacity to counteract several physiological and pathological modifications typical of brain ageing processes. In particular, it has been demonstrated that ALCAR can counteract the age-dependent reduction of several receptors in the central nervous system of rodents, such as the NMDA receptorial system, the Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) receptors, those of glucocorticoids, neurotransmitters and others, thereby enhancing the efficiency of synaptic transmission, which is considerably slowed down by ageing. The present review thus postulates the importance of ALCAR administration in preserving and/or facilitating the functionality of carnitines, the concentrations of which are diminished in the brain of old animals.
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