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Re: Scott

Posted by AndrewB on February 23, 2001, at 23:18:14

In reply to Re: Smoker with Bipolar/ADD? This new drug may help » AndrewB, posted by SLS on February 23, 2001, at 12:36:44

WASHINGTON, April 18 (UPI) - A drug used experimentally to help block the cravings of smokers and cocaine addicts also may improve memory if given in low doses. Researchers at the Medical College of Georgia found the drug mecamylamine gave 20 percent to 30 percent improvements in memory in aged monkeys as well as in non-aged rats performing different types of memory tasks. They reported their research at the Experimental Biology '99 conference in Washington, D.C. this morning.

"We're trying to develop new compounds to improve memory in animals, and eventually in humans," said Jerry Buccafusco, director of the Alzheimer's Research Center at Medical College of Georgia and the Augusta Veterans Administration Hospital. He added, "If we can predict when a person will get Alzheimer's, we can give a drug early on and delay or prevent Alzheimer's disease. Mecamylamine might offer a neuro-protective effect for Alzheimer's disease." Buccafusco and his colleagues tested Rhesus monkeys aged 20 and older on their ability to remember colors. They showed the monkey a color, and after a pause they put two colors in front of the monkey, one the same as the earlier color. They tested the monkey's ability to match one of the second set of colors to the first color.

In human Alzheimer's patients, such short-term memory goes first, he said. Buccafusco and his colleagues have been working on memory restorative drugs for about 11 years. Earlier they found that nicotine and related compounds can activate the nicotine receptors in the brain and improve the memory of aged monkeys. But nicotine has addictive side effects. So Buccafusco studied mecamylamine, a related compound that when given in high doses blocks the nicotine receptor in the brain. However, he found that when mecamylamine is given in low doses, it has a restorative effect on memory similar to that of nicotine, but without the harmful side effects. Buccafusco and his colleagues said studying the nature of the relationship of mecamylamine, nicotine and the nicotine receptor may lead to new approaches for treating memory loss and other cognitive problems.

For full article see: Terry, A.V., Jr., Buccafusco, J.J. and Prendergast, M.A.: Dose-specific improvements in memory-related task performance by rats and aged monkeys administered the nicotinic-cholinergic antagonist mecamylamine. Drug Devel. Res. 47: 127-136, 1999.

AndrewB


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