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Action of cholinesterase inhibitors in patients’ brains

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
K Herholz
Department of Neurology, University of Cologne, and Max-Planck-Institute for Neurological Research, Gleuler Str. 50, 50931 Cologne, Germany; karl.herholz@pet.mpin-koeln.mpg.de

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease; cholinesterase inhibitor; clinical trials; positron emission tomography

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Cholinesterase (ChE) inhibitors are the only class of drug that have consistently shown improvement in cognitive function in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease. Unfortunately, improvement is generally rather small.¹ Recent clinical trials have caused considerable controversy about their actual benefit and indications. On one hand, some studies suggest more extensive use because improvement of cognitive function has also been observed in vascular dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies, and Parkinson’s disease with dementia. However, on the other hand a recent study in community resident patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease concluded that benefits were "below minimally relevant thresholds."²

On the background of this confusing situation, studies are particularly welcome that provide clues as to how ChE inhibitors exert their moderate effect in patients and how we could increase their efficacy. In this issue, such information is provided in a study by Bohnen et al,³ (. . . [Full text of this article]

Relevant Article

Degree of inhibition of cortical acetylcholinesterase activity and cognitive effects by donepezil treatment in Alzheimer’s disease

N I Bohnen, D I Kaufer, R Hendrickson, L S Ivanco, B J Lopresti, R A Koeppe, C C Meltzer, G Constantine, J G Davis, C A Mathis, S T DeKosky, and R Y Moore
J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatry 2005 76: 315-319. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]