Effect Of N Acetyl Cysteine ( Nac ) On The Cognitive...

This article is a study conducted on the effects of N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) on the cognitive functions in bipolar disorder (BD). This article informs the readers that BD, a disorder characterized by extreme mood swings of mania and depression. BD is also found to alter cognitive functions. The use of NAC as a form of treatment is an adjunct therapy for the symptoms of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder as NAC intake showed an increase in antioxidant and glutathione levels, decrease inflammatory cytokines, and enhance neurogenesis. The double-blind and placebo-controlled study mentioned in this article was to determine if 2000 mg per day of NAC intake would improve cognitive function in a period of six months. The participants were randomly assigned to taking 2000mg/day of NAC or a placebo. After six months, the results of the NAC intake showed that symptoms of depression in bipolar disorder improved. The functioning and quality of life also improved, but there was no change in the co gnitive functions of a person with bipolar disorder. This study, however, was not able to support its hypothesis on cognitive improvement, but it emphasized NAC’s effectiveness in bipolar disorder therapy. Several factors limited the findings. The short timeframe and small sample size provided an unsuccessful result. Experiments and further investigations with a longer duration and larger sample size should be carried out to confirm the effects of NAC in bipolar disorder. This article was not