This Little-Known Plant Promotes Stress Resilience, Mood Support & More

This Little-Known Plant Promotes Stress Resilience, Mood Support & More

As Ferira outlines, “executive function encompasses massively important, higher level cognitive functions ranging from attention and problem solving to memory, abstract thinking, self-control, and even moral reasoning and decision making—many of which involve the prefrontal cortex area of our brain.” It also happens to be vital for sustaining cognitive balance to meet life’s (sometimes challenging) demands.

Fortunately, it’s possible to support executive function with premium botanicals like kanna.* In a compelling clinical study examining the cognitive effects of 25 milligrams and 50 milligrams of Zembrin® kanna extract, “both doses increased [the] power of certain brain wave frequencies related to attention and memory,”* notes Appleton.

As Engler expounds, this includes alpha2 brain waves—which are associated with memory and shown to be significantly influenced by Zembrin® kanna extract during various cognitive tasks—as well as delta and theta brain waves, which are related to mental activation during processing (i.e., attention and performance).*

But how does this kanna benefit work, exactly? Ferira explains: “The mechanisms behind these beneficial cognitive effects are thought to be driven by the stress resilience impact on key brain circuits, as well as the mood-lifting impact of blocking reuptake of serotonin (i.e., keeping it around longer) and inhibiting the PDE4 enzyme.”*

Several of these key mechanisms have been elucidated via important preclinical research. “Indeed, the PDE4 enzyme pathways are major cascades involving cellular signals for processes like apoptosis (programmed cell death), neuroplasticity, and connections of neurons,” shares Ferira. “What’s more, PDE4 inhibition has anti-inflammatory and longevity implications at the cellular level.”

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