{"id":741480,"date":"2026-06-16T22:57:10","date_gmt":"2026-06-16T22:57:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/741480\/"},"modified":"2026-06-16T22:57:10","modified_gmt":"2026-06-16T22:57:10","slug":"taking-laxatives-can-help-with-memory-and-attention-span-problems","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/741480\/","title":{"rendered":"Taking laxatives can help with memory and attention span problems"},"content":{"rendered":"

Talk about a gut-brain connection.<\/p>\n

Scientists have long known about the link between our stomachs and our brains<\/a>, warning that our diets and gut health have a large impact on mood and mental health.<\/p>\n

And a study published Monday may have found a way to flush the brain fog and attention issues that accompany depression down the toilet.<\/p>\n

\"HandsNew research has found a potential solution from a laxative for brain fog and attention issues that come with depression. Goffkein \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n

Cognition issues are common with depression and mental disorders, including trouble with thinking, planning tasks, and both short- and long-term memory.<\/p>\n

A team of researchers from the University of Birmingham and the University of Oxford<\/a> conducted a study looking at the effects of prucalopride, a prescription drug for constipation, on cognitive issues.<\/p>\n

Those who took the laxative performed better and faster on cognitive tests to measure focus, attention span, planning, balancing multiple tasks, short- and long-term memory and emotional cognition tasks.<\/p>\n

Fifty patients between 18 and 40 with a history of depressive episodes were recruited to take either a two-milligram dose of the laxative \u2014 the amount used for chronic constipation \u2014 or a placebo for seven to 10 days.<\/p>\n

Both before and after taking the drug, participants took a variety of tests that included a working memory task, an auditory verbal learning and memory task and a task on attention and processing speed.<\/p>\n

Prucalopride works by gently stimulating bowel movements, but it also activates a serotonin receptor in the gut and brain known as the fourth serotonin receptor, or 5HT4.<\/p>\n

\"WomanA medication for constipation, prucalopride, also works on a serotonin receptor that affects mood and memory. Nadzeya \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n

These receptors work both to increase gut motility<\/a> and how fast the bowels empty, and are heavily involved with learning, memory, mood and anxiety.<\/p>\n

According to researchers, the medication could help an often overlooked effect of depression.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor many people, recovery from depression is incomplete because difficulties with memory and concentration persist,\u201d senior author professor Susannah Murphy said in a press release<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis study provides early evidence that 5HT4 receptor agonists could help restore aspects of cognitive function, opening an exciting new direction for treatment development,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n

This study follows previous research from 2024<\/a> that also showed 5HT4 receptor agonists used for constipation may also reduce the risk of depression in those with no history of the illness.<\/p>\n

Another study found that experiencing depressive symptoms<\/a> could lead to worsened memory and thinking skills when hitting middle age.<\/p>\n

And what we eat can play a role in brain health, especially as we age.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvidence suggests that the gut microbiome may influence inflammation, metabolism and brain function through the\u00a0gut-brain axis,\u201d Dr. Randy D\u2019Amico<\/a>, director of the Brain and Spine Metastasis Program of Neurosurgery at Northwell Lenox Hill Hospital, previously told The Post<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Talk about a gut-brain connection. Scientists have long known about the link between our stomachs and our brains,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":741481,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[65342,49,48,6319,7716,84,377,33339,14592],"class_list":["post-741480","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-medication","tag-brains","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-depression","tag-gut-health","tag-health","tag-medication","tag-poop","tag-study-says"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/741480","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=741480"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/741480\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/741481"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=741480"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=741480"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=741480"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}