Learning
An early preclinical study used a sleep-deprivation model to evaluate the effects of Bacopa monnieri (Brahmi) on learning-related parameters in rats. Sleep deprivation was associated with changes in neurotransmitter balance, including increased levels of stress-related biogenic amines and excitatory neurotransmitters, along with reduced levels of inhibitory neurotransmitters involved in normal nerve signaling. These changes were accompanied by a decline in discrimination learning performance. Supplementation with Brahmi was observed to support the normalization of these biochemical markers under experimental stress conditions and was associated with improved learning performance in the model. The authors suggested that Brahmi may help support cognitive function by contributing to the regulation of neurotransmitter balance during stress-related challenges.
Memory
An important feature of memory formation in various animal species is its progression from a short-lived labile form to a long-lasting stable form, probably by consolidation through a multiphasic pathway. During this period of consolidation, memory can be disrupted by administering agents that induce amnesia. Electroconvulsive shock, hypothermia, and hypoxia are conditions that induce retrograde amnesia non-invasively. Other chemical agents (e.g. diethyldithiocarbamate) could induce temporary amnesia. Earlier studies on the processing of memory have revealed that memory consolidation involves both serial and parallel processing of information.
This recent preclinical study evaluated the role of bacosides in supporting memory consolidation using experimental models of induced memory disruption in rats. Following learning tasks, animals exposed to stress-based challenges showed reduced retention compared to untreated controls. Study rats, pre-supplemented with bacosides demonstrated better retention of learned tasks under the same experimental conditions. These findings suggest that bacosides may help support normal memory consolidation processes when cognitive function is challenged.
(a) Learning skills: ease of acquisition
