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The efficacy of cholinergic drugs in patients with Alzheimer's disease—focus on the aminoacridines
Author(s) -
Siegfried K.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
human psychopharmacology: clinical and experimental
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.461
H-Index - 78
eISSN - 1099-1077
pISSN - 0885-6222
DOI - 10.1002/hup.470100203
Subject(s) - tacrine , disease , clinical significance , relevance (law) , medicine , alzheimer's disease , psychology , biology , political science , acetylcholinesterase , biochemistry , law , enzyme
The article reviews evidence for the efficacy of the aminoacridines (tacrine, velnacrine) in patients with probable Alzheimer's disease (AD). The discussion revolves around the question of the clinical relevance of the treatment effects observed. Other questions discussed deal with the heterogeneity of the patient population having AD, the size of the potential reponder group and the limitations caused by safety problems of these compounds. The conclusion is that the effects of the aminoacridines appear to have clinical relevance in a subgroup of patients with AD. These compounds therefore truly deserve the label of ‘first‐generation AD agents’. But further basic and clinical research is needed to identify the responder group and predict response.