We use essential cookies (authentication, your saved goals/stack) by default. With your permission we’ll also enable privacy-respecting analytics (Vercel Web Analytics, anonymous load-time metrics) and error-replay diagnostics (Sentry — DOM snapshots only when an error fires) so we can fix bugs faster. Learn more about cookies

Fas3.4

Fasoracetam Research

Mostly mechanism / observational

5 peer-reviewed studies

What the evidence says

Mostly mechanism / observational

Most Fasoracetam studies are mechanism or observational rather than RCTs that measure a clinical effect — keep findings provisional.

Most evidence is from medium-quality studies published 1997–2019 with a typical study size of 30 participants.

Based on 5 studies · 30 total participants

Confidence

Low confidence

By outcome

ADHD & attention (mutation-selected)Trialed for ADHD symptoms in a mutation-selected subgroup (mGluR-network defects); broader attention benefit is unproven and it was discontinued for dementia. · Not established
Mostly mechanism / observational3 studies
Cognition (preclinical)Cholinergic/anti-amnesic and pro-cognitive in preclinical models via GABA-B up-regulation; unregulated and unproven for memory in humans. · Not established (no human data)
Mostly mechanism / observational3 studies

Older research base

Newest study from 2019

199720082019

1Systematic Review2019

Nageye F, Cortese S · Expert Rev Neurother (2019)

View source

2ADHD symptom severity (CGI-I / CGI-S)Open-Labeln=30 · small study2018

In plain English: NFC-1 treatment resulted in significant improvement... Mean Clinical Global Impressions-Improvement and Severity scores improved from baseline to week 5 (P < 0.001).

Elia J, Ungal G, Kao C, Ambrosini A, et al. · Nature communications (2018)

Likely real

5-week, open-label, single-blind, placebo-controlled study of fasoracetam (NFC-1) in 30 adolescents aged 12–17 with ADHD harboring mutations in mGluR-network genes
Single-dose pharmacokinetic profiling from 50–800 mg, then symptom-driven dose advancement up to 400 mg twice daily for 4 weeks
Significant improvement on clinician-rated CGI-Improvement and CGI-Severity scales (P < 0.001)

View source

3mGluR-dependent modulation of adenylyl cyclase activityAnimal1997

In plain English: Both the inhibitory and facilitatory actions of NS-105 on cAMP formation were mimicked by a metabotropic glutamate receptor agonist and blocked by a mGluR antagonist.

Oka M, Itoh Y, Shimidzu T, Ukai Y · Brain research (1997)

Fasoracetam (NS-105) modulated cAMP formation in rat cerebral cortex via metabotropic glutamate (mGluR) signaling
Effects were mimicked by an mGluR agonist and blocked by an mGluR antagonist, but not by an alpha2-adrenergic antagonist
Establishes mGluR as a core molecular target — the rationale later used for mutation-selected ADHD

View source

4Reversal of memory disruptionAnimal1999

In plain English: NS-105 showed antiamnestic actions in a variety of animal models of cholinergic dysfunction employed in this study.

Ogasawara T, Itoh Y, Tamura M, Mushiroi T · Pharmacology, biochemistry, and behavior (1999)

Fasoracetam (NS-105) reversed memory disruption across scopolamine, nucleus-basalis-lesion, AF64A, baclofen, ischemia, and electroconvulsive-shock models in rats
Increased in vivo cortical acetylcholine release and high-affinity choline uptake
Antiamnestic effect spanned multiple cholinergic-dysfunction models

View source

5GABA-B receptor up-regulation and antidepressant-like behaviorAnimal1997

In plain English: Repeated administration of NS-105 increased the number of GABA(B) receptors in rat cerebral cortex.

Shimidzu T, Itoh Y, Oka M, Ishima T · European journal of pharmacology (1997)

Repeated fasoracetam (NS-105) dosing increased GABA-B receptor number in rat cerebral cortex
Reduced immobility in the forced-swim test and reversed learned helplessness in the shuttle-box test
Did not inhibit monoamine uptake — distinct from classic antidepressants

View source

View in Research Library

Fasoracetam Research

Mostly mechanism / observational

Beyond stimulants: a systematic review of randomised controlled trials assessing novel compounds for ADHD.

Fasoracetam in adolescents with ADHD and glutamatergic gene network variants disrupting mGluR neurotransmitter signaling.

Involvement of metabotropic glutamate receptors in Gi- and Gs-dependent modulation of adenylate cyclase activity induced by a novel cognition enhancer NS-105 in rat brain.

Involvement of cholinergic and GABAergic systems in the reversal of memory disruption by NS-105, a cognition enhancer.

Effect of a novel cognition enhancer NS-105 on learned helplessness in rats: possible involvement of GABA(B) receptor up-regulation after repeated treatment.