Racetams are a class of nootropic drugs that share a pyrrolidone nucleus.
There is no generally accepted mechanism for racetams. They generally show no affinity for the most important receptors, although modulation of most important central neurotransmitters, including acetylcholine and glutamate have been reported. Although aniracetam and nebracetam show affinity for muscarinic receptors, only nefiracetam shows it at the nanomolar range. Modulat...
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Racetams are a class of nootropic drugs that share a pyrrolidone nucleus.
There is no generally accepted mechanism for racetams. They generally show no affinity for the most important receptors, although modulation of most important central neurotransmitters, including acetylcholine and glutamate have been reported. Although aniracetam and nebracetam show affinity for muscarinic receptors, only nefiracetam shows it at the nanomolar range. Modulation of protein synthesis and protein Kinase C could be a mechanism. Modification of membrane-located mechanisms of central signal transduction is another hypothesis.
Racetams are understood to work by activating glutamate receptors that are colocalized with cholinergic receptors, thus increasing the firing of the latter. The racetams consequently increase memory capacity by nearly the same method as the acetylcholinesterase inhibitors.
A 2005 review of the benefits and risks of levetiracetam found that the effects reported which differed from...
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