INTRODUCTION in 2007 the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) restricted the use of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors and memantine. METHODS we conducted a health technology assessment (HTA) of the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of donepezil, galantamine, rivastigmine and memantine for the treatment of AD to re-consider and up-date the evidence base used to inform t...

OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of rivastigmine on the core domains of Alzheimer's disease. DESIGN Prospective, randomised, multicentre, double blind, placebo controlled, parallel group trial. Patients received either placebo, 1-4 mg/day (lower dose) rivastigmine, or 6-12 mg/day (higher dose) rivastigmine. Doses were increased in one of two fixed dose ranges (1-4 mg/day or 6-12 mg/day) over ...

brain disease that occurs in around 10% of the elderly and, as yet, there is no known cure. The most effective treatments are medications that attempt to increase the brain’s levels of acetylcholine, an important neurotransmitter whose levels decrease with onset of disease. These drugs work by interfering with acetylcholine esterase (AChE), an enzyme that breaks down acetylcholine (Fig. 1). Res...

OBJECTIVES Recent transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) studies demonstrate that motor cortex excitability is increased in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and that intracortical inhibitory phenomena are impaired. The aim of the present study was to determine whether hyperexcitability is due to the impairment of intracortical inhibitory circuits or to an independent abnormality of excitatory circuits...

OBJECTIVES The study was planned to determine cholinergic influence on different stages of memory - acquisition, consolidation and recall in scopolamine-induced amnesia (memory impairment) in mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS To study acquision, consolidation and recall stages of memory, we administered scopolamine (0.75, 1.5 and 3 mg/kg ip) 30 minutes and five minutes prior to first trial acquisit...

OBJECTIVE Investigate efficacy of 13.3 mg/24 h rivastigmine patch in patients with severe Alzheimer's disease on Alzheimer's Disease Cooperative Study-Activities of Daily Living Scale-Severe Impairment Version items and domains. METHODS Retrospective analysis of the 24-week, randomized, double-blind ACTivities of daily living and cognitION (ACTION) study, using factor analysis to establish "b...

BACKGROUND Rivastigmine is the only cholinesterase inhibitor (ChEI) available as transdermal patch. The patch was developed to improve gastrointestinal tolerability and treatment adherence to higher dosages as compared with oral medication. Preferences of patients and caregivers for the patch were reported; however, neither patient compliance nor caregiver burden has yet been measured under rou...