Doxycycline is an antibiotic used to treat infections caused by certain types of bacteria and protozoa
New research has found that a small dose of the antibiotic doxycycline slightly improves memory consolidation in young adults.
A recent published in the journal European Neuropsychopharmacology revealed that a single dose of 200 mg of the antibiotic doxycycline may slightly improve declarative learning and memory consolidation in healthy young adults.
Doxycycline, an antibiotic in the tetracycline class, is widely prescribed for bacterial infections, including respiratory and skin diseases, sexually transmitted diseases, and certain forms of acne. It is also effective against malaria and tick-borne diseases such as Lyme disease. In addition to its antibacterial properties, recent studies have explored its potential neuroprotective effects on treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis.
Although the antibiotic showed a small reduction in motor learning, it subtly improved long-term motor memorysparking interest in its potential neuroprotective applications, explains .
The research, led by Jelena M. Wehrli, analyzed data from 261 healthy adults ages 18 to 40, with a average age of 24 years. Participants, fluent in German, were randomly assigned to receive 200 mg of doxycycline (Vibramycin®) or a placebo.
After ingesting the capsules assigned to them, participants performed neuropsychological tests which assessed verbal and visual declarative memory, learning of motor skills and sustained attention. One week later, delayed recall of learned material was assessed.
Declarative memory, which involves the conscious recall of facts and events, showed improvement in participants who received doxycycline. This improvement was observed during cognitive tests carried out 3.5 to 4.5 hours after treatment. The antibiotic had an iminimal negative impact in motor learning, slightly improving long-term motor memory.
The study authors stressed that these effects were weak and observed only in specific contexts of cognitive tests and highlighted the antibiotic’s potential to improve memory without negatively affecting other cognitive functions in healthy individuals.
“These results suggest that doxycycline may improve declarative learning and memory no long-term negative effects in other cognitive domains in healthy humans. Our results give hope to further investigate doxycycline in neuroprotective treatment applications,” the authors state.
