Phosphatidylserine for Memory

Research suggests that phosphatidylserine (PS) may support memory and broader cognitive function, particularly in older adults and those with cognitive impairment, with the most directly relevant evidence coming from two reviews and a small randomized controlled trial in children with ADHD, all of which reported positive findings for memory-related outcomes. Reviews from 2014 and 2015 describe PS as integral to neuronal membrane health and neurotransmitter function, concluding that supplementation may help slow age-related cognitive decline and support memory formation and retrieval, while a 2023 review of common supplement ingredients found some evidence of benefit for PS specifically, though it characterized the broader brain supplement industry as lacking rigorous scientific support. A 2022 RCT using a multi-ingredient formula containing PS reported significant memory improvements in healthy adults, and a 2014 RCT in children found improvements in short-term auditory memory and attention, though both studies carry notable limitations — the multi-ingredient design of the former makes it impossible to isolate PS as the active component, and the latter involved a very small sample. Overall, the available evidence is moderately supportive but relies heavily on reviews and studies with methodological constraints, and several of the studies provided in this collection address related neurological topics without directly testing PS, underscoring the need for larger, well-controlled trials focused specifically on phosphatidylserine before firm conclusions can be drawn.