Efficacy of branched chain amino acid administration on cognitive function: a systematic review

Background Branched chain amino acids (BCAA) are essential amino acids that include leucine, isoleucine, and valine. Recent studies indicate that BCAAs might influence cognitive health. This systematic review aims to examine the impact of BCAAs on cognitive function.Method The PRISMA guidelines were adhered to, and a literature search of electronic databases was conducted to gather studies meeting the inclusion criteria up to April 2024. Studies that administered BCAA and evaluated cognitive function in patients or healthy participants were included. The risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool for randomized studies and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale for observational studies.Results Out of 41 screened studies, 8 met the inclusion criteria, including 353 participants. Risk of bias assessment rated 6 studies as high quality and 2 as medium quality. Analysis showed that 5 studies found no significant changes in cognitive function after BCAA administration, while 3 reported improvements.Conclusion BCAA supplementation for cognitive health is influenced by dosage, duration, and underlying health conditions. Some studies suggest potential detrimental effects, while others find no significant impact. Larger, rigorously designed clinical trials are needed to establish clearer causal relationships and optimize therapeutic strategies.Highlights BCAAs exert their effects on neuronal signalling, synaptic plasticity, and neurotransmitter regulation, amongst their pharmacological profile in modulating cognitive health.Studying the effects of BCAA administration on cognitive function enables the optimization of therapeutic interventions for cognitive disorders.Investigating the effects of BCAA administration on cognitive function facilitates the identification of biomarkers for monitoring treatment response and disease progression.