Vasopressin has memory-enhancing effects and is widely known as the prescription drug manufactured by Sandoz Pharmaceutical Company under the trade name Diapid. Vasopressin is a brain hormone produced in the pituitary gland, and acts to imprint new information into the brain’s memory centers. Without vasopressin you can’t learn or acquire new information. Similarly, it helps in memory retrieval by drawing information into conscious thought.
Earliest research was conducted in the Netherlands in the mid-’60s by Dr. de Wied, who found that vasopressin acts directly on brain cells and the central nervous system to improve the imprinting system by which electric impulses with information became encoded into longterm memories. During this process new proteins are synthesized and deposited into the memory centers of the brain. Research on humans using vasopressin revealed similar memory enhancing results. Patients with memory problems showed improved attention span, concentration, recall, and ability to learn.
Stimulants like LSD, cocaine, amphetamines, Ritalin, and Cylert cause the pituitary to release vasopressin. Frequent use of these drugs can lead to sluggish mental performance and depression resulting from vasopressin depletion. On the other hand, marijuana and alcohol, which are depressants, inhibit the release of vasopressin This explains why regular users, especially of marijuana, often complain of memory loss. These problems can be reversed, almost immediately, by inhaling Diapid, because it is absorbed through the mucous membranes in the nose and goes quickly to the brain results are often evident in less than a minute.
Diapid, which is a nasal spray manufactured by Sandoz, has been approved by the FDA only to treat the frequent urination associated with diabetes insipidus and bedwetting in children. The FDA has not approved its use in healthy people for memory and learning enhancement. Diapid is considered to be very safe, with no major side effects. However, some people experience mild symptoms such as nose irritation, headaches, abdominal cramps, and an increased desire to move the bowels. Pregnant women should avoid it, since safety during pregnancy has not been established.
Vasopressin can be obtained in the United States by prescription. It is available over the counter in Mexico.
