New data show that an acetylcholine-preserving drug may halt or lessen cognitive, functional, and behavioral symptoms associated with Alzheimer disease.
In a multicenter study of 353 patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer disease, those treated with 24 mg/d of galantamine maintained or improved their scores on the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale during a 1-year period. The scale measures memory, language, orientation, and other aspects of cognition. Patients in the study also maintained activities of daily functioning for a year. The data were presented last month at the Stockholm/Springfield Symposium in Sweden.
Galantamine, which is marketed as Reminyl, preserves acetylcholine in the brain by blocking the enzyme acetylcholinesterase. It also appears to act on nicotine receptors in the brain. Researchers believe that both these actions lead to increased levels of acetylcholine in the brain.
The drug recently was approved for use in Sweden and is being considered for approval . . . [Full Text of this Article]
