Protective Effects of Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide and Related Precursors in Alzheimer's Disease: A Systematic Review of Preclinical Studies.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Systematic review limited entirely to preclinical animal (rodent) studies
PubMed 33907963 · doi:10.1007/s12031-021-01842-6
What was done
A systematic review was conducted to evaluate the effects of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) and related precursors on cognitive and neurobiological outcomes in rodent models of Alzheimer's disease. Databases searched through December 2020 included PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, and Google Scholar, alongside reference lists of relevant reviews. From 320 identified records, 11 preclinical publications met inclusion criteria.
What was found
The abstract reports no numerical values, effect sizes, or confidence intervals. Qualitatively, primary outcomes demonstrated that NAD+ administration improved learning and memory in rodent Alzheimer's models. Secondary endpoints demonstrated neuroprotective effects, with reported mechanisms including reduced oxidative stress, reduced inflammation, decreased apoptosis, and enhanced mitochondrial function.
Why it matters
This review aggregates early mechanistic evidence suggesting that boosting NAD+ pools supports bioenergetics and mitigates cognitive deficits in experimental models of Alzheimer's disease.
Limits
All included evidence is strictly preclinical in rodents and cannot establish clinical efficacy or safety in humans. The abstract omits quantitative effect sizes, specific dosing regimens, and formal assessments of risk of bias, methodological heterogeneity, or publication bias across the 11 included studies.
Cited by
- supports Boosting NAD levels in the brain improves memory and slows Alzheimer's disease progression in mouse models.