Skip to main content
Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry logoLink to Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry
. 1984 May;47(5):485–491. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.47.5.485

Cholinergic system and constructional praxis: a further study of physostigmine in Alzheimer's disease.

O Muramoto, M Sugishita, K Ando
PMCID: PMC1027824  PMID: 6736979

Abstract

Subcutaneous or intravenous administration of physostigmine improved the copying of geometric figures in three out of six patients with presumed Alzheimer's disease who showed a remarkable constructional disturbance. This improvement reached its maximum 30 to 60 minutes after the physostigmine administration. These results not only provide further evidence supporting the hypothesis that central cholinergic potentiation ameliorates some of the impairments of Alzheimer's disease, but implicate a possible important role of the cholinergic system in the integration of constructional praxis.

Full text

PDF
490

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Bowen D. M., Smith C. B., White P., Davison A. N. Neurotransmitter-related enzymes and indices of hypoxia in senile dementia and other abiotrophies. Brain. 1976 Sep;99(3):459–496. doi: 10.1093/brain/99.3.459. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Christie J. E., Shering A., Ferguson J., Glen A. I. Physostigmine and arecoline: effects of intravenous infusions in Alzheimer presenile dementia. Br J Psychiatry. 1981 Jan;138:46–50. doi: 10.1192/bjp.138.1.46. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Davies P., Maloney A. J. Selective loss of central cholinergic neurons in Alzheimer's disease. Lancet. 1976 Dec 25;2(8000):1403–1403. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(76)91936-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Davis K. L., Hollister L. E., Overall J., Johnson A., Train K. Physostigmine: effects on cognition and affect in normal subjects. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 1976 Dec 21;51(1):23–27. doi: 10.1007/BF00426316. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Fuld P. A., Katzman R., Davies P., Terry R. D. Intrusions as a sign of Alzheimer dementia: chemical and pathological verification. Ann Neurol. 1982 Feb;11(2):155–159. doi: 10.1002/ana.410110208. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Hachinski V. C., Iliff L. D., Zilhka E., Du Boulay G. H., McAllister V. L., Marshall J., Russell R. W., Symon L. Cerebral blood flow in dementia. Arch Neurol. 1975 Sep;32(9):632–637. doi: 10.1001/archneur.1975.00490510088009. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Kievit J., Kuypers H. G. Basal forebrain and hypothalamic connection to frontal and parietal cortex in the Rhesus monkey. Science. 1975 Feb 21;187(4177):660–662. doi: 10.1126/science.1114317. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Memory enhancement with oral physostigmine in Alzheimer's disease. N Engl J Med. 1983 Mar 24;308(12):720–721. doi: 10.1056/NEJM198303243081212. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Mesulam M. M., Van Hoesen G. W. Acetylcholinesterase-rich projections from the basal forebrain of the rhesus monkey to neocortex. Brain Res. 1976 Jun 4;109(1):152–157. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(76)90385-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Muramoto O., Sugishita M., Sugita H., Toyokura Y. Effect of physostigmine on constructional and memory tasks in Alzheimer's disease. Arch Neurol. 1979 Aug;36(8):501–503. doi: 10.1001/archneur.1979.00500440071014. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Peters B. H., Levin H. S. Effects of physostigmine and lecithin on memory in Alzheimer disease. Ann Neurol. 1979 Sep;6(3):219–221. doi: 10.1002/ana.410060307. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Peters B. H., Levin H. S. Memory enhancement after physostigmine treatment in the amnesic syndrome. Arch Neurol. 1977 Apr;34(4):215–219. doi: 10.1001/archneur.1977.00500160029004. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Smith C. M., Swash M. Physostigmine in Alzheimer's disease. Lancet. 1979 Jan 6;1(8106):42–42. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(79)90479-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Summers W. K., Viesselman J. O., Marsh G. M., Candelora K. Use of THA in treatment of Alzheimer-like dementia: pilot study in twelve patients. Biol Psychiatry. 1981 Feb;16(2):145–153. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES