Ipamorelin & CJC-1295: Research on Mood and Cognition

Written by Johnathon Anderson, Ph.D., a research scientist specializing in regenerative medicine and serving as an Associate Professor at the University of California Davis School of Medicine

What are Ipamorelin and CJC-1295?

Ipamorelin and CJC-1295 are small proteins called peptides that are derived from two peptides naturally found in the body, which induce the production and release of Growth Hormone (GH). [1,2]

Research on GH Peptides Like Ipamorelin and CJC-1295 Influence on Memory Outcomes?

Ipamorelin and CJC-1295 treatment may potentially increase memory in patients. Ipamorelin and CJC-1295 both increase GH levels. Increasing GH levels in participants led to increased short-term and long-term memory in a clinical trial of 48 adults in the Netherlands (see graph below). [3]

GH peptides research on mood

Ipamorelin and CJC-1295 increase GH levels, which has been shown to elevate the moods of patients after 3 months of treatment with GH. [4] This was a double-blind clinical trial performed at the University of Texas. Patients were observed to have much higher levels of positive feelings such as feeling good, friendly, alert, energetic, and more libido. [4] Participants also had substantially lower levels of negative feelings such as feeling sad, or nervous. [4]

Research on GH Peptides and IQ

GH improved the IQ of healthy adults in a clinical trial at the University of Colorado. A healthy group (n = 89) of older adults (avg age 68) were treated with the GH peptide, Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone (GHRH), or placebo. [5] GHRH therapy resulted in patients significantly improving their IQ scores on the WAIS-R performance IQ test. GHRH-based improvements were observed across genders and cognitive capacities. [5] CJC-1295 is derived from GHRH and has very similar properties.

GH Mechanisms of Action

GH increases neural stem cell (NSC) populations in the subventricular zone and hippocampal regions of the adult brain. [6] NSCs are neuro-protective, improve cognition, heal damage to the brain, and create new neurons. [7] GH is also released during exercise and is known to have positive effects on cognition and improve mood. [8] GH peptides like Ipamorelin also cause the release of GH and has similar downstream benefits.

GH induces neurotrophic factors such as BDNF, TrkB, and SYN. [9] GH treatment can also increase the metabolism of brain regions like the hippocampus, which is critical for memory formation (see PET-SCAN below). [10] Some research scientists are attempting to develop GH therapies for neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s disease, Huntington’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease. [11] GH peptides have similar benefits, and are not steroids.

Interested in learning more about the research behind Ipamorelin and CJC-1295?

References

1] Sam L. Teichman, Ann Neale, Betty Lawrence, Catherine Gagnon, Jean-Paul Castaigne, Lawrence A. Frohman “Prolonged Stimulation of Growth Hormone (GH) and Insulin-Like Growth Factor I Secretion by CJC-1295, a Long-Acting Analog of GH-Releasing Hormone, in Healthy Adults” The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, Volume 91, Issue 3, 1 March 2006, Pages 799–805, https://doi.org/10.1210/jc.2005-1536 https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article-abstract/91/3/799/2843281?redirectedFrom=fulltext

2] Deepankar K Sinha, Adithya Balasubramanian, Alexander J Tatem, Jorge Rivera-Mirabal, Justin Yu, Jason Kovac, Alexander W Pastuszak, Larry I Lipshultz “Beyond the androgen receptor: the role of growth hormone secretagogues in the modern management of body composition in hypogonadal males” Transl Androl Urol 2020 Mar;9(Suppl 2):S149–S159 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7108996/

3] J B Deijen, H de Boer, E A van der Veen “Cognitive changes during growth hormone replacement in adult men” Psychoneuroendocrinology 1998 Jan;23(1):45-55 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9618751/

4] KIMBERLY T. BRILL, ARTHUR L. WELTMAN, ANGELA GENTILI, JAMES T. PATRIE,

DAVID A. FRYBURG, JOHN B. HANKS, RANDALL J. URBAN, AND JOHANNES D. VELDHUIS “Single and Combined Effects of Growth Hormone and Testosterone Administration on Measures of Body Composition, Physical Performance, Mood, Sexual Function, Bone Turnover, and Muscle Gene Expression in Healthy Older Men” J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2002 Dec;87(12):5649-57 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12466367/

5] Michael V Vitiello, Karen E Moe, George R Merriam, Giuliana Mazzoni, David H Buchner, Robert S Schwartz “Growth hormone releasing hormone improves the cognition of healthy older adults” Neurobiol Aging 2006 Feb;27(2):318-23 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0197458005000631

6] David Åberg “Role of the growth hormone/insulin-like growth factor 1 axis in neurogenesis” Endocr Dev 2010:17:63-76. doi: 10.1159/000262529 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19955757/

7] Ling Yang, Si-Cheng Liu, Yi-Yi Liu, Fu-Qi Zhu, Mei-Juan Xiong, Dong-Xia Hu, Wen-Jun Zhang “Therapeutic role of neural stem cells in neurological diseases” Front Bioeng Biotechnol. 2024 Mar 7;12:1329712 https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/bioengineering-and-biotechnology/articles/10.3389/fbioe.2024.1329712/full

8] Laura D Baker, Suzanne M Barsness, Soo Borson, George R Merriam, Seth D Friedman, Suzanne Craft, Michael V Vitiello “Effects of Growth Hormone–Releasing Hormone on Cognitive Function in Adults With Mild Cognitive Impairment and Healthy Older Adults” Arch Neurol. 2012 Nov;69(11):1420–1429 https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaneurology/fullarticle/1306261

9] Hao Zhang, Mengqi Han, Xiaonian Zhang, Xinting Sun, Feng Ling “The effect and mechanism of growth hormone replacement on cognitive function in rats with traumatic brain injury” PLoS One 2014 Sep 30;9(9):e108518. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0108518 https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0108518

10] Jesús Devesa, Iria Núñez, Carlos Agra, Alejandro Bejarano, Pablo Devesa “Treatment with Growth Hormone (GH) Increased the Metabolic Activity of the Brain in an Elder Patient, Not GH-Deficient, Who Suffered Mild Cognitive Alterations and Had an ApoE 4/3 Genotype” Int J Mol Sci 2018 Aug 5;19(8):2294. doi: 10.3390/ijms19082294 https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/19/8/2294

11] Archana Arjunan, Dhiraj Kumar Sah, Minna Woo, Juhyun Song “Identification of the molecular mechanism of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1): a promising therapeutic target for neurodegenerative diseases associated with metabolic syndrome” Cell & Bioscience volume 13, Article number: 16 2023 https://cellandbioscience.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13578-023-00966-z#:~:text=IGF%2D1%20is%20essential%20for,neurodegeneration%20related%20to%20metabolic%20syndrome.