A drug already sitting in medicine cabinets for constipation may have a surprising second job: clearing the mental fog that often sticks around after depression lifts. In a small clinical trial, people with a history of depression who took prucalopride for about a week did noticeably better on tests of memory, attention, and thinking speed compared to those given a placebo, and researchers reported no significant side effects. The drug works on a serotonin receptor found in both the gut and the brain, which may explain why it reaches beyond digestion into cognition. It’s a small study, but repurposing an existing, well-tolerated drug could offer a faster path to helping people think clearly again.
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