Dihexa is an oligopeptide derived from angiotensin IV, reportedly seven orders of magnitude more potent than BDNF in neurotrophic activity assays. It works by amplifying plasticity rather than promoting any specific cognitive outcome - whatever your brain is doing during the neuroplasticity window (roughly 6–7 days post-dose, most intense on day one) gets structurally reinforced. That directional property is the critical caveat: Dihexa doesn’t passively repair or optimize, it cements whatever state you’re in. Emotional chaos, doomscrolling, anxiety loops during the window means hardwiring dysfunction. High-effort cognitive tasks, journaling, meditation, and deliberate practice during the window are mandatory prerequisites, not optional. This is why it reportedly failed clinical trials for Alzheimer’s. passive repair doesn’t happen; patients in cognitive decline became worse versions of themselves. Oral route in a fish oil gelcap on empty stomach is the practical administration method; DMSO transdermal works but is uncomfortable and technically finicky.
Directional plasticity is the central caveat. You don’t choose whether it rewires, only what it rewires into.