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Physostigmine and Arecoline: Effects of Intravenous Infusions in Alzheimer Presenile Dementia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

J. E. Christie ,
A. Shering ,
J. Ferguson  and
A. I. M. Glen
J. E. Christie
Affiliation:
MRC Brain Metabolism Unit, Thomas Clouston Clinic, 153 Morningside Drive, Edinburgh EH10 5LG
A. Shering
Affiliation:
MRC Brain Metabolism Unit, Thomas Clouston Clinic, 153 Morningside Drive, Edinburgh EH10 5LG
J. Ferguson
Affiliation:
MRC Brain Metabolism Unit, Thomas Clouston Clinic, 153 Morningside Drive, Edinburgh EH10 5LG
A. I. M. Glen
Affiliation:
MRC Brain Metabolism Unit, Thomas Clouston Clinic, 153 Morningside Drive, Edinburgh EH10 5LG
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Summary

Physostigmine (0.25 mg-1 mg), arecoline (2 and 4 mg) and saline were administered intravenously over 30 minutes in a randomized double blind design to 11 patients with a clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer presenile dementia. Significant improvement was seen on a picture recognition test with physostigmine 0.375 mg and arecholine 4 mg. A trend towards improvement was also seen with physostigmine 0.25 mg and 0.75 mg, and arecholine 2 mg. For the majority of the patients improvement was only slight but in two patients it was clear cut and consistent.

Type
Research Article
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 138 , Issue 1 , January 1981 , pp. 46 - 50
Copyright
Copyright © The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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