16 replies to this topic

[STOPOT]

Interesting article on the uses of valproic acid for brain plasticity
http://gizmodo.com/a...obertsorokanich

Those who took the drug showed pitch improvement that was significantly better than those taking a placebo, evidence that the drug restored the brain plasticity normally lost after childhood.

What do you guys think?
Who has taken it before and do you need a prescription to buy?
Are there other substances that also improve brain plasticity to the same degree?

[penisbreath]

This sounds nice in theory, but Depakote made me a zombie and impaired cognition.

[VP.]

The study is here.http://www.frontiers...2013.00102/full
You do need a prescription.
There is another thread in supplements but I believe in belongs in brain health. Very interesting study.
http://www.longecity...juvenile-state/

[telight]

This sounds nice in theory, but Depakote made me a zombie and impaired cognition.

Would you mind sharing the dosage that produced these side effects for you?

[JustAMan]

This sounds nice in theory, but Depakote made me a zombie and impaired cognition.

Agreed.

The dosages used in the study were typical to the psychiatric treatment lucky.pierre and I have received--ramp-up from 500mg/day to 1000mg/day, give or take. You can expect brain fog, fatigue, and slowed cognition from this drug, which may impair your ability to attend tasks or learn.

[penisbreath]

I took 500mg ER.

[toto75015]

Hi, if brain plasticity is restored to the level of childhood, it would be a dream come true to me.

When I compare my situation to the poor rats of the studies, it's almost the same: I lost a lot of my learning capabilities after a bad stress induced depression that put me low for years, and is still present to some extent today, but not as hard as in the past.

In those 3 last years I progressed a lot thanks to this forum, and retrieved part of my old learning capabilities, and I know that it's the consequence of: 1) the amount of effort I put into improving my skills and learning new stuff and 2) the kick that was provided by some nootropics (most notably noopept, despite the effects on libido).

I don't expect anything other than another kick from valproate, but if the side effects are bearable, and if my brain plasticity is improved, then I think that a lot of things are possible. Not only to learn new stuff more easily and efficiently, but also to reshape bad memories and possibly overcome traumas and thus may be improve the remaining depression symptoms.

I'm eager to learn new things about this product!

[protoject]

Has anyone ever tried valproic acid at really low doses? like lower than a standard therepeutic dose? Whether it's for "neuroplasticity" reasons, or whether it's for treating an illness i.e. Bipolar?

[medicineman]

I take 100mg nightly. Two weeks so far. I take it with very low dose clonidine (35mcg) due to this study


http://www.ncbi.nlm....ubmed/15009817/



I sleep a lot better, wake up a lot less in between. And feel a lot more energetic in the morning. As for cognition, I can't say much so far. BTW, I'm a health care worker, so I have access to it, tests to monitor etc, so try at your own peril.

If I notice dramatic changes in a few months on it, I'll report back.

[protoject]

I take 100mg nightly. Two weeks so far. I take it with very low dose clonidine (35mcg) due to this study


http://www.ncbi.nlm....ubmed/15009817/



I sleep a lot better, wake up a lot less in between. And feel a lot more energetic in the morning. As for cognition, I can't say much so far. BTW, I'm a health care worker, so I have access to it, tests to monitor etc, so try at your own peril.

If I notice dramatic changes in a few months on it, I'll report back.

Wow. That's great to hear. I've been looking to see if anyone had experiences with this. I was looking at it for improving sleep as I had heard it upregulates melatonin receptors, and could help out with gaba as well. Also I had a lot of bipolar issues back in the day and I think it's possible that my sleep issues may center around a related issue that would respond to mood stabilization. (I had temporary success with lithium, and have also had some success with oxcarbazepine though I only had limited access to it). I was hoping to start real low, something like 100 mg like you mention, to abate any possible issues.

Circadian rhythm and sleep issues have always been a huge feature of my disease. I hope valproate can help. I do have some so I will try soon.

[8bitmore]

I take 100mg nightly. Two weeks so far. I take it with very low dose clonidine (35mcg) due to this study


http://www.ncbi.nlm....ubmed/15009817/



I sleep a lot better, wake up a lot less in between. And feel a lot more energetic in the morning. As for cognition, I can't say much so far. BTW, I'm a health care worker, so I have access to it, tests to monitor etc, so try at your own peril.

If I notice dramatic changes in a few months on it, I'll report back.

Wow. That's great to hear. I've been looking to see if anyone had experiences with this. I was looking at it for improving sleep as I had heard it upregulates melatonin receptors, and could help out with gaba as well. Also I had a lot of bipolar issues back in the day and I think it's possible that my sleep issues may center around a related issue that would respond to mood stabilization. (I had temporary success with lithium, and have also had some success with oxcarbazepine though I only had limited access to it). I was hoping to start real low, something like 100 mg like you mention, to abate any possible issues.

Circadian rhythm and sleep issues have always been a huge feature of my disease. I hope valproate can help. I do have some so I will try soon.

I second that this sounds really interesting, but must admit I'm bit sad about the mixing of the Valproic Acid with Clonidine - would rather have had test results from each compound separately All same, looking forward to update on this one.

Edited by 8bitmore, 08 March 2014 - 06:54 PM.

[Luxflux]

I'm curious if anyone who has taken a lot of supplements which increase plasticity and bdnf has noticed that it actually impairs cognition? If I take too many of these kinds of supplements, I have trouble concentrating. I feel much more childlike and just want to look at every distraction that crosses my path. I can't do "adult" behaviors as well, like putting my nose to the grindstone and studying something boring for school. But I think the effect on the brain is good, but perhaps needs to be cycled. Anyone have anything similar to this happen?

[David Middlemiss]

I take 100mg nightly. Two weeks so far. I take it with very low dose clonidine (35mcg) due to this study


http://www.ncbi.nlm....ubmed/15009817/



I sleep a lot better, wake up a lot less in between. And feel a lot more energetic in the morning. As for cognition, I can't say much so far. BTW, I'm a health care worker, so I have access to it, tests to monitor etc, so try at your own peril.

If I notice dramatic changes in a few months on it, I'll report back.

 

Have you gone any further with your Valporic acid trial, can you expand on your experiences?

 

[David Middlemiss]

 

I take 100mg nightly. Two weeks so far. I take it with very low dose clonidine (35mcg) due to this study


http://www.ncbi.nlm....ubmed/15009817/



I sleep a lot better, wake up a lot less in between. And feel a lot more energetic in the morning. As for cognition, I can't say much so far. BTW, I'm a health care worker, so I have access to it, tests to monitor etc, so try at your own peril.

If I notice dramatic changes in a few months on it, I'll report back.

Wow. That's great to hear. I've been looking to see if anyone had experiences with this. I was looking at it for improving sleep as I had heard it upregulates melatonin receptors, and could help out with gaba as well. Also I had a lot of bipolar issues back in the day and I think it's possible that my sleep issues may center around a related issue that would respond to mood stabilization. (I had temporary success with lithium, and have also had some success with oxcarbazepine though I only had limited access to it). I was hoping to start real low, something like 100 mg like you mention, to abate any possible issues.

Circadian rhythm and sleep issues have always been a huge feature of my disease. I hope valproate can help. I do have some so I will try soon.

 

 

Hey man,

I have had similar issues to yourself, Although I wish to undo the brain fog of my ilness and seroquel/quetiapine fumerate and trial supplements that promote brain placticity also i'd like to reset/relearn or even improve dramatically the situation i've come from,

Did you manage to trial the valporic acid and what were your findings?

my first post and explanation is below.

 

http://www.longecity...-valporic-acid/

 

 

[Ames]

Just fyi:

 

Don't get this near anyone who may become pregnant. It's one of the only substances that is correlated with autism incidence with prenatal exposure. I know from the research that I read when completing a graduate paper on autism once. Treat it with the same pertinent caution that you would Finasteride. That is, in general, don't touch any females after handling the pills until you've washed your hands.

Edited by golgi1, 10 August 2016 - 02:49 PM.

[PeaceAndProsperity]

Just fyi:

 

Don't get this near anyone who may become pregnant. It's one of the only substances that is correlated with autism incidence with prenatal exposure. I know from the research that I read when completing a graduate paper on autism once. Treat it with the same pertinent caution that you would Finasteride. That is, in general, don't touch any females after handling the pills until you've washed your hands.

Why, what bad does finasteride do to women or pregnant women?

[Ames]

 Someone may wish to split hairs, relatively speaking, and differentiate in potential danger in consumption vs skin contact, but the risk is such that I don't see it that way when deformities are involved. That's my view on it, and others may differ:

 

 

https://www.drugs.co...o/propecia.html

 

Contraindications

 

Propecia is contraindicated in the following:

 

Pregnancy. Finasteride use is contraindicated in women when they are or may potentially be pregnant. Because of the ability of Type II 5α-reductase inhibitors to inhibit the conversion of testosterone to 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT), finasteride may cause abnormalities of the external genitalia of a male fetus of a pregnant woman who receives finasteride. If this drug is used during pregnancy, or if pregnancy occurs while taking this drug, the pregnant woman should be apprised of the potential hazard to the male fetus. In female rats, low doses of finasteride administered during pregnancy have produced abnormalities of the external genitalia in male offspring.

 

 

 

Edited by golgi1, 10 August 2016 - 05:06 PM.