Galatamine Might Reduce Cognitive Decline in Alzheimer's Patients

While there is no cure for Alzheimer's disease, galantamine (Reminyl), a cholinesterase inhibitor, is a widely used medication for improving memory and helping patients think more clearly.

In clinical studies, the drug appears to be effective in about 80 percent of those treated. Research headed by Dr. Murray Raskind, a UW professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences based at the Puget Sound Veterans Affairs Health Care System in Seattle, suggests that the cognitive benefits of galantamine in these patients are sustained for at least three years of use. Patients treated continuously with the drug over 36 months showed substantially less cognitive decline than did untreated patients with mild to moderate dementia.

The findings suggest that galantamine might slow the clinical progression of Alzheimer's disease. The results were published in the Archives of Neurology.