Of course, further trials will be necessary to confirm the efficacy of this approach. The idea to test citicoline in cocaine users arose from earlier brain imaging studies at McLean, which looked at the effects of citicoline and cocaine use on brain chemistry. In these studies, brain scans obtained through magnetic resonance spectroscopy revealed a pattern of changed brain chemistry during cocaine use. The biochemical changes showed an increase in the basic building blocks needed to maintain and repair brain membranes. These results are consistent with a problem in the brain's ability during cocaine use to synthesize or repair membranes.
Cocaine causes blood vessels to constrict, reducing the flow of blood to the brain.
Some scientists have speculated that cocaine damages the brain by causing thousands of microscopic strokes. Six received citicoline and eight received placebo twice a day for two weeks. Citicoline, which occurs in small amounts naturally in the body, has long been used in Japan and Europe to treat brain disorders, such as stroke, various types of dementia, Parkinson's disease and traumatic brain injury. In this country, citicoline is being investigated for the treatment of ischemic stroke. Besides its apparent ability to repair neuronal membranes, citicoline also moderately increases dopamine levels in the brain.