Comment · Fri, January 8, 2016 · Ceretropic & Nootropics Depot
Can anyone help explain the mechanism for which excess Choline can cause mood disturbances? (e.g depression)
Original post in this thread
gitfetchmorecoffee · 16 points
I am trying to find more information pertaining to exact mechanism excess Choline has which causes many people to have mood disturbances. I have not been able to find any particular studies on this matter, though I have seen it mentioned, and have seen speculation that it is somehow related to dopamine in one way or another.
The thing that really interests me, is that it seems to be an issue with all types of exogenous Choline(including CDP-choline which is interesting in itself, as CDP-choline has been shown to increase dopamine receptor density), and even AChE Inhibitors such as Aricept(Donepezil).
Could anyone help explain what exactly is going on here? It seems that this is most evident when users over-dose Choline sources, but I am looking for the reason it has such a profound effect on a users mood.
What they were answering
Direct reply to the original post — see the thread post above.
u/MisterYouAreSoDumb · Ceretropic & Nootropics Depot
We don't know the exact mechanisms yet. We just know that there is a correlation between higher choline levels in the basal ganglia and orbitofrontal cortex, and depression. Some studies have even shown that plasma choline levels are not correlated, but red blood cell choline levels are. It's also only pertinent to a percent of the population. Some people are not affected by choline in that way.
So the answer is that we just don't know enough yet.