Cognitive & neuro
Neuropeptide Y
One of the brain's most abundant peptides, studied intranasally for stress resilience and memory.
What it is
Neuropeptide Y is a 36-amino-acid peptide and one of the most abundant in the nervous system. It regulates appetite, anxiety, stress responses and blood-vessel tone. Intranasal forms have been studied in small trials for stress and PTSD, and receptor blockers have been developed for obesity, but no NPY medicine is approved.
How it works
- 1
Acts on Y1, Y2 and Y5 receptors, which differ in where and how they inhibit or excite neurons.
- 2
Y2 receptors presynaptically reduce glutamate and noradrenaline release.
- 3
Y1 signalling in the amygdala reduces anxiety-like behaviour in animals.
- 4
Shifts the stress response and can blunt noradrenergic outflow.
- 5
At higher concentrations it constricts blood vessels.
What it's studied for
Reported and studied effects
- Animal studies show reduced anxiety-like behaviour and protection in stress models
- Human intranasal data are preliminary, from very small samples
- No established cognitive benefit in people
Research protocol notes
Research context onlyResearch context only - investigational. The intranasal stress studies used single low-microgram doses with hormone and symptom measures over hours, while rodent work used central administration in picomole to nanomole amounts. No repeated-dose human protocol has been established.
These figures are described so you can understand what researchers did. They are not a dose, a schedule, or a suggestion — and they are not a substitute for a doctor.
Possible side effects and contraindications
Safety profile
Possible side effects
- Possible rise in blood pressure at higher doses
- Headache
- Nasal irritation
- Unknown long-term effects
Contraindications and cautions
- Hypertension needs caution
- Pregnancy and childhood - untested
- No approved use for any cognitive or psychiatric condition
A side-effect list is never complete, and these are not the only situations that warrant caution. Anything unexpected, or anything you are unsure about, should be discussed with a doctor before use.
Evidence assessment
A handful of very small human intranasal studies exist, but the evidence for cognitive or anxiety benefit is preliminary and largely animal-based.
References
References link to published literature, regulator pages or literature indexes. Where a link points to a search, it collects the peer-reviewed work on that molecule rather than a single study.
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