And for grandmothers too
Noradrenergic drugs target the neurotransmitter noradrenaline, which is secreted by a network of specialized noradrenergic neurons. This network is of great importance for the processes of arousal in the brain and many cognitive functions, including attention, learning, memory, readiness for action and suppression of inappropriate behavior.
Violation of noradrenergic function occurs in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease and contributes to the emergence of cognitive and neuropsychiatric disorders that make up the clinical picture of this disease. Researchers from Imperial College London have suggested that the noradrenergic system may be a good target for drug treatment of Alzheimer's disease. They analyzed clinical studies published between 1980 and 2021 in which noradrenergic drugs (atomoxetine, methylphenidate and guanfacine) were used to potentially restore cognitive and/or neuropsychiatric disorders in patients with neurodegenerative diseases.
The systematic review and meta-analysis included a total of 19 randomized controlled trials on Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment involving 1,811 patients: six of these studies were rated as "good" quality, seven as "honest" and six as "bad". The results of ten of these studies, which involved 1,300 patients, were combined to assess general cognitive abilities: orientation/attention, memory, fluency of speech, conversation, and visual-spatial abilities.
The analysis showed a small but steady positive effect of noradrenergic drugs on general cognitive abilities, measured using a mini-questionnaire for mental state or an Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale.
Then the results of eight clinical trials involving 425 patients were combined to determine behavioral and neuropsychiatric symptoms, arousal and apathy. A positive effect of noradrenergic drugs on apathy was revealed, even after eliminating errors associated with differences in the design of studies.
Repurposing known noradrenergic drugs is likely to provide effective treatment for Alzheimer's disease to restore general cognitive function and eliminate apathy. Meta-analysis provided the rationale for further targeted clinical trials of Alzheimer's disease treatment.
Article by M.David et al. Cognitive and neuropsychiatric effects of noradrenergic treatment in Alzheimer's disease: systematic review and meta-analysis published in the Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery & Psychiatry.
Aminat Adzhieva, portal "Eternal Youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru according to the BMJ Newsroom: "Good evidence" that ADHD drugs might also treat Alzheimer's disease.