This is a small German study of 5 PSP patients with dementia. These patients were given rivastigmine (Exelon is the brand name in the US) for 3-6 months. The researchers “found a slight improvement in specific cognitive function that may justify further controlled studies.”
Exelon is an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor (AChEI). The two other AChEIs are Aricept and Razadyne. Both Aricept and Razadyne are available in generic form. Unlike Aricept and Razadyne, Exelon inhibits two forms of choline — acetylcholine and butyrylcholine. Exelon is the only AChEI that is FDA approved for use in Parkinson’s Disease Dementia. All three AChEIs are approved for use in Alzheimer’s Disease.
When our local support group began, I occasionally heard about PSPers trying Aricept. It didn’t seemed to do any good. In the last year or so, I’ve heard about a couple of PSPers trying Exelon.
Robin
Alzheimer’s & Dementia. 2010 Jan;6(1):70-74.
Rivastigmine for the treatment of dementia in patients with progressive supranuclear palsy: Clinical observations as a basis for power calculations and safety analysis.
Liepelt I, Gaenslen A, Godau J, Di Santo A, Schweitzer KJ, Gasser T, Berg D.
Center of Neurology, Department of Neurodegeneration, and Hertie Institute of Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
Cognitive decline and dementia are present in about 50% of patients with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). Based on the known involvement of the cholinergic system in PSP patients, and because rivastigmine, in contrast to other cholinesterase inhibitors, inhibits both acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase, we discuss clinical observations of five patients suffering from PSP and dementia who were all treated with rivastigmine over a period of 3 to 6 months.
We found a slight improvement in specific cognitive function that may justify further controlled studies. A calculation of sample size revealed that a study on the effect of rivastigmine in PSP should include about 31 patients to detect a significant effect. In subtests, meaningful results can be obtained with even lower numbers (five patients for a verbal fluency test, and 14 patients for a logical memory task).
PubMed ID#: 20129321 (see pubmed.gov for this abstract only)