A clinical study by lead author Julie A. Dumas, Ph.D., M.A., professor of psychiatry at the Larner College of Medicine, found that a choline ingredient marketed as VitaCholine by Balchem had effects on brain network efficiency, as measured by fMRI. These findings were published in Nutrients. According to the authors, there were significant effects on evaluated measures of working memory–related brain activation and functional connectivity.

“Estrogen is a key driver of choline production in the body, so when levels of the hormone drop during menopause, women are at increased risk of choline deficiency,” said Dr. Dumas. “This is important because choline is needed to make acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter involved in cognitive functions such as mood, memory, and attention. Previous choline research has commonly relied on self-reported scores or assessments from participants, but what makes this study unique is that it utilized functional MRI scans and working memory exercises to capture an objective view of how brain networks respond to choline intake after menopause, gaining valuable insights into how targeted supplementation may support a pivotal moment of a woman’s life.”

University of Vermont co-authors included Abigail Testo, Ph.D., postdoctoral researcher; Anna Senft Miller, former UVM research project assistant; Angeles Ozahl, UVM research assistant; Jiming Zhang, Ph.D., M.S., assistant professor of radiology; Marwa Aboukhatwa, Ph.D., UVM clinical investigational pharmacist; and James Boyd, M.D., M.S., professor of neurological sciences.

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