PMID: 18204410
Pae/PubMed/2008
Why It Matters
Semax occasionally appears in nootropic circles, but this is just a review of early animal data — not human trials. If you're considering peptides for mood, understand this is speculative territory with no robust clinical evidence for depression. The BDNF angle is interesting theoretically, but mouse hippocampus studies don't translate reliably to human depression outcomes.
Key Findings
- Semax is a synthetic fragment derived from adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), studied primarily in animal models
- Preclinical evidence suggests effects on neurotransmitter systems including dopamine and serotonin in mice
- Animal studies showed potential increases in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in hippocampus regions
- This is a commentary/review paper, not original research — summarizing existing preclinical data
- No human clinical trial data for depression presented in this 2008 analysis
Read the Paper↗PMID: 18204410