Increased regional cerebral glucose metabolism and semantic memory performance in Alzheimer's disease: A pilot double blind transdermal nicotine positron emission tomography study

摘要: Nicotinic receptor dysfunction and impaired semantic memory occur early in Alzheimer's disease patients (AD). Previous research implied that nicotine's ability to enhance alertness, arousal, cognition a number of nonclinical populations was function its stimulate CNS nicotinic cholinergic receptors. In this study it hypothesized transdermal administration nicotine would increase both regional cerebral glucose metabolism (rCMRglc) (as assessed by verbal fluency). Two mild AD two elderly controls underwent positron emission tomography scanning during double blind agonist fluency challenge procedure. rCMRglc increases occurred patients, but not controls. the scores increased an average 17%. One control's increased, other decreased. These findings suggest effect on is due system.