Citicoline: What Trials Studied (Memory, Stroke Recovery, Glaucoma) and Side Effects
What trials of citicoline found in memory problems, acute stroke, glaucoma and healthy older adults, kept separate, plus what is and is not known about side effects.
Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.
Quick answer
Citicoline (CDP-choline) has been tested in several medical conditions. Those trials were done in patients, often under a doctor's care, and their results do not transfer to healthy adults. The largest stroke trial found no benefit, the systematic review of glaucoma trials found too little evidence, and the memory trials are mostly small or low quality. [1][2][3] This page describes what was studied. It is information only and gives no advice about taking citicoline.
Evidence labels: promising but limited, mixed, insufficient evidence, no good evidence of benefit. They are explained in What are nootropics?. For the overview of citicoline and alpha-GPC, see Citicoline and Alpha-GPC.
How the terms are used
Citicoline and CDP-choline are two names for the same compound; a Cochrane review notes it can be called citicoline when introduced as a drug. [4] In several of the trials below it was given as a medicine, sometimes by vein, so those results are not the same as a capsule sold as a supplement. [1] Study amounts are reported only to show what was tested, never as advice.What the trials found
| Condition or group | What the source found | Strength |
|---|---|---|
| Acute ischemic stroke (a stroke caused by a blocked blood vessel) | ICTUS trial, 2,298 patients: recovery at 90 days was similar to placebo (odds ratio 1.03). The trial was stopped for futility. Study treatment was citicoline by vein for 3 days, then by mouth, for 6 weeks in total. It was funded by a drug company. [1] | No good evidence of benefit |
| Acute ischemic stroke, all trials pooled | Cochrane review (2020): 10 trials, 4,281 people, all at high risk of bias. Little or no difference in deaths (17.3% versus 18.5%) or disability. Study amounts ranged from 500 to 2,000 mg a day. [5] | No good evidence of benefit; low certainty |
| Glaucoma (eye disease that damages the optic nerve) | Systematic review (2023): 10 studies, 424 patients, average follow-up about 12 months. No significant difference in eye pressure, visual field, nerve-fiber layer or electrical eye tests; authors found insufficient evidence that citicoline slows progression. [2] | Insufficient |
| Glaucoma, quality of life | A placebo-controlled crossover trial in patients with open-angle glaucoma used a vision questionnaire and found a greater improvement after citicoline (p = 0.0413), but scores rose from baseline in both treatment sequences. Several authors reported consulting for a company. [6] | Promising but limited (one trial) |
| Older adults with chronic brain disorders | Cochrane review (2005): 14 trials, no evidence of benefit on attention but evidence of benefit on memory and behavior; trials were short and varied. [4] | Limited, dated |
| Mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer's, post-stroke dementia | Meta-analysis (2023) of six studies: improved cognitive status, but quality was poor with risk of bias favoring the treatment. [3] | Insufficient |
| Healthy older adults with age-associated memory impairment | One trial of 100 people aged 50 to 85 for 12 weeks: greater gains than placebo on episodic memory and a composite memory score on computerized tests. [7] | Promising but limited (single trial) |
| Mental disorders including ADHD | Review (2026) of 11 studies: inconsistent results; evidence does not support citicoline or phosphatidylserine as cognitive enhancers there. [8] | Insufficient |
| Memory in healthy young or middle-aged adults | Proper evidence not found. We searched PubMed for trials and reviews of citicoline in healthy adults and found only the older-adult trial above. | Insufficient |
Notes on strength: a change on a computer memory test is not the same as better everyday memory, and the healthy-adult trial's abstract does not report effects on daily life. [7]
Side effects and safety
- What the trials say. In ICTUS there were no significant differences in safety variables or adverse events versus placebo. [1] The 2005 Cochrane review described the drug as well tolerated. [4]
- Limits. The 2020 Cochrane review found adverse events were poorly reported and harms may have been underestimated, and said the safety profile of citicoline remains unknown. [5] Common side effects of supplement-form citicoline: not described in the sources we read.
- Children. A 2025 case report with a title about recurrent suicidality after phosphatidylserine and citicoline in a child with ADHD taking methylphenidate exists; we could read only the title, so we do not describe its findings. [9] Parents with concerns about a child's mood should speak with the child's clinician. In the US, 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) offers support; call 911 in an emergency.
- Medicines, pregnancy, kidney, liver, surgery: Proper evidence not found in the sources we read. We searched PubMed for tolerability and adverse-event reviews of citicoline. Ask a clinician or pharmacist, tell your surgical team about all supplements, and see medication interactions, pregnancy and breastfeeding and supplements before surgery.
When these are clinician-led conditions
Stroke, glaucoma and dementia are treated by clinicians. Sudden face drooping, arm weakness, speech trouble or vision loss is an emergency: call 911 in the US. Do not stop or replace a prescribed medicine, including eye drops, because of a supplement. For memory changes, see memory changes: when to get help.Frequently asked questions
Does citicoline help recovery after a stroke?
The large ICTUS trial and a 2020 Cochrane review found little or no benefit over placebo. [1][5]
Does citicoline treat glaucoma?
A 2023 systematic review found insufficient evidence that it slows glaucoma progression. [2]
Does citicoline help memory in healthy people?
One 12-week trial in older adults with age-associated memory impairment reported better episodic memory scores than placebo. [7] We found no other healthy-adult evidence we could read.
What side effects does citicoline have?
Trials in patients reported no significant differences from placebo, but harms were poorly reported in many stroke trials. [1][5]
Are these trial amounts what I should take?
No. They show what was tested in patients. A clinician or pharmacist decides what is right for a person.
References
- Dávalos A et al. Lancet 2012. Citicoline in the treatment of acute ischaemic stroke: an international, randomised, multicentre, placebo-controlled study (ICTUS trial). Read 2026-10-23.
- Prinz J et al. PLoS One 2023. Efficacy of citicoline as a supplement in glaucoma patients: A systematic review. Read 2026-10-23.
- Bonvicini M et al. Nutrients 2023. Is Citicoline Effective in Preventing and Slowing Down Dementia? A Systematic Review and a Meta-Analysis. Read 2026-10-22.
- Fioravanti M, Yanagi M. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2005. Cytidinediphosphocholine (CDP-choline) for cognitive and behavioural disturbances associated with chronic cerebral disorders in the elderly. Read 2026-10-22.
- Martí-Carvajal AJ et al. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2020. Citicoline for treating people with acute ischemic stroke. Read 2026-10-23.
- Rossetti L et al. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 2023. The effect of citicoline oral solution on quality of life in patients with glaucoma: an international, multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled cross-over trial. Read 2026-10-23.
- Nakazaki E et al. J Nutr 2021. Citicoline and Memory Function in Healthy Older Adults: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial. Read 2026-10-23.
- Kucuksahin NG et al. Hum Psychopharmacol 2026. The Impact of Citicoline/Phosphatidylserine Supplementation on Cognitive Performance and Executive Functions in Mental Disorders: A Systematic Review of Controlled Trials. Read 2026-10-23.
- Recurrent Suicidality Following Rechallenge with Phosphatidylserine and Citicoline in a Pediatric ADHD Patient Treated with Methylphenidate: A Cautionary Case Report. Psychiatry Clin Psychopharmacol 2025. PubMed record (title only; no abstract was available to read). Read 2026-10-23.
Education, not medical advice. This page is for general information. It does not diagnose or treat any condition and is not a substitute for care from a qualified health professional. Natural does not automatically mean safe. Ask a clinician or pharmacist before changing your care, especially if you take medication, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have a health condition.