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Effects of anticholinergic drugs on learning and memory
Author(s) -
Spencer David G.,
Lal Harbans
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
drug development research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.582
H-Index - 60
eISSN - 1098-2299
pISSN - 0272-4391
DOI - 10.1002/ddr.430030602
Subject(s) - anticholinergic , blockade , muscarinic acetylcholine receptor , cholinergic , psychology , cognition , neuroscience , drug , pharmacology , medicine , receptor
Declines in cognitive function during normal aging and in dementic disorders have frequently been hypothesized to involve a decline in cholinergic transmission in the brain. Muscarinic cholinergic receptor blockade produces behavioral effects in animals reminiscent of aging‐related performance deficits. The purpose of the present review is to analyze the results of previous behavioral experiments with antimuscarinic drugs in order to generate an hypothesis of the cognitive effects of muscarinic blockade. Given this hypothesis, it is suggested that experiments may be designed in which the antagonism of antimuscarinic drug effects may be used in the development of geriatric and antidementic drugs.