(© Katsiaryna - stock.adobe.com)
BASEL, Switzerland — A drug that helps patients with neurological issues walk may also provide a surprising boost for the brain. Researchers at the University of Basel have uncovered that a drug for multiple sclerosis could also help sharpen working memory.
Fampridine, a medication traditionally used to improve the walking ability of multiple sclerosis patients, might have a hidden talent for boosting brain health in people with cognitive challenges. Working memory is like your brain’s temporary workspace — the mental ability to hold and manipulate information for short periods, such as remembering a phone number just long enough to dial it.
Although the new study published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry shows limited benefits for those who still have a good memory, it could be a major breakthrough for those dealing with mild cognitive decline. Specifically, researchers discovered the drug appears to help only those with already weak working memory. When 43 healthy adults participated in a carefully controlled experiment, those with lower baseline cognitive performance saw significant improvements after just three days of taking the medication.
“Fampridine doesn’t improve working memory in everyone,” explains lead researcher Andreas Papassotiropoulos in a media release. “But it could be a treatment option for those with reduced working memory.”
Using a randomized, double-blind approach — which means neither participants nor researchers knew who received the actual drug — the team tested the medication’s effects. They found that the drug increased brain “excitability,” essentially making neural communication faster and more efficient.
What’s particularly exciting is how the researchers arrived at this discovery. They didn’t simply stumble upon this potential treatment by chance. Instead, they conducted comprehensive genome data analyses to identify opportunities for repurposing existing drugs. Fampridine targets specific ion channels in nerve cells that previous research suggested might play a role in mental disorders.
The researchers are now planning further studies to explore the drug’s potential in treating schizophrenia and depression. As co-researcher Dominique de Quervain notes, this could open new doors for people struggling with cognitive challenges.
While it’s not a magic solution, this research offers hope: sometimes, the key to addressing complex mental health symptoms might already be sitting in our medical toolkit, waiting to be understood in a new light.
Paper Summary
Methodology
This study aimed to test whether a drug, fampridine, could improve working memory (WM) in healthy adults. Fampridine, typically used for multiple sclerosis, was chosen based on genetic data linking it to WM-related processes. Participants were randomly assigned to either receive fampridine or a placebo in a double-blind, crossover trial, meaning each person served as their own control at different times.
The primary focus was WM performance, measured using a task requiring participants to remember and respond to specific sequences of letters (the “3-back task”). Additional tests assessed reaction times and motor functions. Participants took the medication for 3.5 days, with an 8–82 day washout period between phases to prevent lingering effects.
Key Results
The results showed no overall improvement in working memory for participants taking fampridine compared to the placebo. However, individuals with lower baseline WM performance improved more under fampridine, suggesting the drug may benefit people with naturally weaker WM. Fampridine also decreased motor thresholds, a sign of increased brain excitability, which may support cognitive functions. Secondary outcomes, like reaction times and other cognitive measures, showed no significant differences.
Study Limitations
The study included only 43 young, healthy adults, which limits its applicability to older populations or those with cognitive impairments. The treatment lasted just 3.5 days, so long-term effects remain unknown.
The dosage used was based on its standard approval for multiple sclerosis, which may not be optimal for cognitive benefits. The tightly controlled environment may not reflect real-world conditions. Although genetically guided, the trial excluded promising drugs during its rigorous selection process.
Discussion & Takeaways
The study highlights fampridine’s potential to enhance WM in individuals with low baseline cognitive performance. This finding aligns with prior research showing that cognitive interventions often yield greater benefits for those starting with lower abilities. While the primary hypothesis did not show a universal WM boost, the drug’s impact on brain excitability and targeted improvements suggests further exploration is warranted.
Future studies could focus on clinical populations, like individuals with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, where WM deficits are more pronounced. These findings also emphasize the need for personalized approaches to cognitive therapies based on individual baseline capabilities.
Funding & Disclosures
The research was funded by a grant from the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF). The funders had no influence on the study’s design, data analysis, or results. Two of the lead researchers are co-founders of GeneGuide AG, a company unrelated to this trial. All other authors reported no conflicts of interest.
