NEU-002
Cholecystokinin receptor agonist
Preclinical: animal (in vivo) evidence, not yet studied in humans
How it works
Developed by NeuDirection Limited, a small-molecule agonist targeting a CCK receptor in the auditory cortex, restoring normal firing in neurons that become hyperactive after hearing loss. Builds directly on academic research (Jendrichovsky and Jufang He, City University of Hong Kong) showing that CCK4 paired with sound therapy activates postsynaptic CCK-B receptors to drive long-term potentiation and restore frequency-specific plasticity in auditory cortex layer IV, aligning with the topographic account of central hyperactivity in the Cortical Tonotopic Map Reorganization hypothesis.
This describes the treatment concept as reported in the cited research: a scientific mechanism, not a guarantee of clinical availability.
Evidence (1)
Cholecystokinin from the entorhinal cortex enables neural plasticity in the auditory cortex.
Cell research · 2014
Discovered that a signaling chemical called cholecystokinin, released from a nearby brain region, is what allows auditory cortex neurons to rewire in response to new sound-related experience.