I recently picked up Sulbutiamine to trial. In my research, I've come across the following:
Evidence for a modulatory effect of sulbutiamine on glutamatergic and dopaminergic cortical transmissions in the rat brain.
Trovero F, Gobbi M, Weil-Fuggaza J, Besson MJ, Brochet D, Pirot S.
Source
Key-Obs S.A., Centre d'Innovation, 16, rue Leonard de Vinci, 45074 Orleans, 2, Cedex, France. fabricetrovero@aol.com
Abstract
Chronic treatment of rats by sulbutiamine induced no change in density of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and (+/-)-alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid receptors in the cingular cortex, but a significant decrease of the kainate binding sites, as measured by quantitative autoradiography. In the same treated animals, an increase of D1 dopaminergic (DA) binding sites was measured both in the prefrontal and the cingular cortex, while no modification of the D2 binding sites was detected. Furthermore, an acute sulbutiamine administration induced a decrease of kainate binding sites but no change of the density of D1 and D2 DA receptors. Acute sulbutiamine injection led to a decrease of the DA levels in the prefrontal cortex and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid levels in both the cingular and the prefrontal cortex. These observations are discussed in terms of a modulatory effect of sulbutiamine on both dopaminergic and glutamatergic cortical transmissions.
PMID:10996447
First of all, D1 receptors in the Anterior Cingulate cortex:
Learn Mem. 2006 Nov-Dec; 13(6): 777–782.
doi: 10.1101/lm.409306
PMCID: PMC1783632
Dopamine D1 receptors in the anterior cingulate cortex regulate effort-based decision making
Abstract
The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) has been implicated in encoding whether or not an action is worth performing in view of the expected benefit and the cost of performing the action. Dopamine input to the ACC may be critical for this form of effort-based decision making; however, the role of distinct ACC dopamine receptors is yet unknown. Therefore, we examined in rats the effects of an intra-ACC D1 and D2 receptor blockade on effort-based decision making tested in a T-maze cost-benefit task. In this task, subjects could either choose to climb a barrier to obtain a high reward in one arm or a low reward in the other arm without a barrier. Unlike vehicle-treated rats, rats with intra-ACC infusion of the D1 receptor antagonist SCH23390 exhibited a reduced preference for the high-cost– high-reward response option when having the choice to obtain a low reward with little effort. In contrast, in rats with intra-ACC infusion of the D2 receptor antagonist eticlopride, the preference for the high-cost–high-reward response option was not altered relative to vehicle-treated rats. These data provide the first evidence that D1 receptors in the ACC regulate effort-based decision making.
The way I read these two abstracts is that chronic Sulbutiamine usage causes an increase of binding sites of a receptor (D1 in the cingulate cortex) that has been linked to regulate effort-based decision making (A.K.A. motivation).
Now, a lot has been mentioned by people about tolerance and needing to cycle Sulbutiamine to fully see its effects. I have a feeling that this is because of the "decrease of the DA levels in the prefrontal cortex".
Also, I have no understanding of the significance of "decrease of the kainate binding sites" and "3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid levels in both the cingular and the prefrontal cortex".
So let's discuss. Strategies, stacks, info, etc.
Edited by zrbarnes, 22 June 2012 - 07:05 PM.