Cortexin plus citicoline after spinal-cord injury: the 90-day Phoenix comparison
D. Y. Butko, S. S. Zabirov, S. N. Valchuk, S. N. Polkovnikova, T. Y. Lazareva, M. V. Kalinina, L. A. Danilenko, V. I. Kuznetsova, V. A. Vavilova · 2026 · Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova. 2026;126(10):63–70. PMID 42973255
Indexed 2026-11-04.
Reported findings and study design
Reported findings
At day 90, the combination groups had larger reported improvements in cognition, depression and fatigue than standard care. In the ASIA A stratum, at least 50% depression-score reduction occurred in 90% versus 20%.
60 adults aged 18–55 after gunshot-related spinal-cord injury; four groups defined by ASIA A/C severity and treatment; open prospective longitudinal comparison against standard care; assessment to day 90.
Dose, route and schedule
Cortexin 10 mg intramuscularly daily for 10 days plus oral citicoline 1000 mg/day for 30 days, alongside rehabilitation. Historical study regimen, not administration advice.
Protocol source ↗ · Indexed original abstract
| Measure | Result | Comparison, timing and statistics |
|---|---|---|
| Depression response, ASIA A | 90% versus 20% achieved at least 50% HDRS-17 reduction | Cortexin plus citicoline and rehabilitation versus standard care; subgroup denominators not supplied · Day 90 · No between-group p-value or confidence interval supplied in the abstract |
| Cognitive change, ASIA A | MoCA +2 [1.75; 3.25] versus +1.5 [1; 2] points | Combination versus standard care; median changes with source-reported bracketed intervals · Day 90 |
| Depression change, ASIA A | HDRS-17 −10 [−12.25; −9] versus −5 [−5.75; −2] points | Combination versus standard care · Day 90 |
| Fatigue change, ASIA A | Asthenic State Scale −33 [−34.25; −31.75] versus −26 [−26; −25] points | Combination versus standard care · Day 90 |
| Cognitive change, ASIA C | MoCA +2 [2; 3] versus +1.5 [1; 2] points | Combination versus standard care · Day 90 |
| Depression change, ASIA C | HDRS-17 −12.5 [−14; −9] versus −8 [−8.75; −6.25] points | Combination versus standard care · Day 90 |
| Fatigue change, ASIA C | Asthenic State Scale −31 [−32; −30] versus −22 [−23.75; −22] points | Combination versus standard care · Day 90 |
| Serious adverse events | None reported | Other adverse-event counts and subgroup denominators absent from abstract; not evidence of long-term safety |
| Assessment schedule | Days 1, 15±2, 30±2 and 90±7 |
Results concern the combined treatment program. Open assignment, concurrent rehabilitation and missing subgroup uncertainty prevent a reliable Cortexin-specific effect estimate. No claim of spinal-cord regeneration is supported.
Source for the extracted data ↗ · Checked 2026-11-06
Molekul summary of the linked publication. Educational information, not medical advice. Seek qualified healthcare help for medical conditions.
Methods, limitations & source review
Study limitations
- Prospective open comparison; randomization and allocation concealment are not established by the abstract.
- Citicoline and rehabilitation were co-interventions; effects cannot be attributed to Cortexin alone.
- Subgroup denominators, confidence intervals and between-group p-values are not supplied in the checked abstract.
- Mood and cognitive outcomes do not demonstrate spinal-cord repair, restored walking or reduced disability.
Publication counts are not counts of independent trials. Reviews, translations and reports sharing participants may overlap. Findings apply to the studied preparation, population and endpoints.
Document format: Indexed original publication abstract
Review depth: Original indexed abstract and citation checked; full methods and tables not appraised
Related-report group: phoenix-sci-2026. Reports in this group are not assumed to be independent trials.
Source access and review scope
Original abstract retrieved through Europe PMC / PubMed. Publication year retained; index date is not the publication date.
Recorded source-check date: 2026-11-06. This date does not imply a completed systematic review.
Source type: Original clinical journal publication
Citation and original source
Original source: D. Y. Butko, S. S. Zabirov, S. N. Valchuk, S. N. Polkovnikova, T. Y. Lazareva, M. V. Kalinina, L. A. Danilenko, V. I. Kuznetsova, V. A. Vavilova. Cortexin plus citicoline after spinal-cord injury: the 90-day Phoenix comparison Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova. 2026;126(10):63–70. PMID 42973255 2026.
Molekul research summary: https://molekul.io/research/cortexin-phoenix-2026. Cite the original publication for its findings and this page when referring to Molekul’s summary or evidence appraisal.
Bibliography entry