title: Citicoline affects appetite and cortico-limbic responses to images of high-calorie foods.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Cytidine-5'-diphosphocholine (citicoline) has a variety of cognitive enhancing, neuroprotective, and neuroregenerative properties. In cocaine-addicted individuals, citicoline has been shown to increase brain dopamine levels and reduce cravings. The effects of this compound on appetite, food cravings, and brain responses to food are unknown.
  
  
  METHODS
  We compared the effects of treatment with Cognizin citicoline (500 mg/day versus 2,000 mg/day) for 6 weeks on changes in appetite ratings, weight, and cortico-limbic responses to images of high-calorie foods using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).
  
  
  RESULTS
  After 6 weeks, there was no significant change in weight status, although significant declines in appetite ratings were observed for the 2,000 mg/day group. The higher dose group also showed significant increases in functional brain responses to food stimuli within the amygdala, insula, and lateral orbitofrontal cortex. Increased activation in these regions correlated with declines in appetite ratings.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These preliminary findings suggest a potential usefulness of citicoline in modulating appetite, but further research is warranted.
authors.affiliation: Cognitive Neuroimaging Laboratory, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA. killgore@mclean.harvard.edu
authors.forename: William D S
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Killgore
authors.forename: Amy J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Ross
authors.forename: Toshikazu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kamiya
authors.forename: Yoko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kawada
authors.forename: Perry F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Renshaw
authors.forename: Deborah A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Yurgelun-Todd
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001066:Appetite / Q000187:drug effects*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D003566:Cytidine Diphosphate Choline / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005502:Food; D005518:Food Preferences / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008032:Limbic System / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000502:physiology; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D012044:Regression Analysis; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D003566:Cytidine Diphosphate Choline