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American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias logoLink to American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias
. 2003 Sep-Oct;18(5):265–272. doi: 10.1177/153331750301800508

Rivastigmine in subcortical vascular dementia: A randomized, controlled, open 12-month study in 208 patients

Rita Moretti 1, Paola Torre, Rodolfo M Antonello, Giuseppe Cazzato 2, Antonio Bava 3
PMCID: PMC10833887  PMID: 14569643

Abstract

Subcortical vascular dementia (VaD) is characterized by executive dysfunction and behavioral problems, reflecting deterioration of the frontal lobe. This study aimed to determine whether rivastigmine, a dual inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE), has any effects on the typical symptoms of subcortical VaD. Patients receiving rivastigmine showed a slight improvement in executive functions and in behavior. Side effects in both groups were tolerable and there were no study withdrawals. Moreover, there are no drug interactions with other therapies previously and concomitantly assumed. Improvements in domains that characterize subcortical VaD were observed, indicating that rivastigmine may have provided targeted treatment in areas of the brain that are particularly affected in this patient population.

Keywords: cholinesterase inhibition, behavior, executive function, rivastigmine, vascular dementia

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Contributor Information

Rita Moretti, Dipartimento di Fisiologia e Patologia, Università degli Studi di Trieste; Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Neurologia, Ambulatorio Disturbi Cognitivi, Università degli Studi di Trieste, Trieste, Italy.

Giuseppe Cazzato, Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Neurologia, Ambulatorio Disturbi Cognitivi, Università degli Studi di Trieste, Trieste, Italy.

Antonio Bava, Dipartimento di Fisiologia e Patologia, Università degli Studi di Trieste, Trieste, Italy.

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