Titre du document / Document title
Cholinergic enhancement of episodic memory in healthy young adults
Auteur(s) / Author(s)
GRÖN Georg (1) ;
KIRSTEIN Matthias (1) ;
THIELSCHER Axel (1) ;
RIEPE Matthias W. (2) ;
SPITZER Manfred (1 3) ;
Affiliation(s) du ou des auteurs / Author(s) Affiliation(s)
(1) Department of Psychiatry, University of Ulm, Leimgrubenweg 12, 89075 Ulm, ALLEMAGNE
(2) Department of Psychiatry Mental Health and Old Age Psychiatry, Charité Medical University, Eschenallee 3, 14050 Berlin, ALLEMAGNE
(3) Transfer Center for Neuroscience and Learning (ZNL), University of Ulm, Beim Alten Fritz 2, 89075 Ulm, ALLEMAGNE
Résumé / Abstract
Rationale: Acetylcholine esterase (AchE) inhibitors are known to remediate symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. However, only few systematic data exist on the effects of cholinergic treatment on cognitive functions in normal subjects. Objective: This study evaluated the effects of donepezil, an inhibitor of AchE, on cognitive performance in young and healthy subjects. Methods: We used a randomised double-blind parallel group placebo-controlled repeated measures design to investigate changes of cognitive functions in a group of 30 young healthy male subjects (mean age 23.9 years±2.24 SD) upon application of donepezil or placebo for 30 days. Attentional and executive functions, visual and verbal short-term and working memory, semantic memory, as well as verbal and visual episodic memory were investigated using an extensive neuropsychological test battery. Results: Time-by-group interactions demonstrated significant drug effects that were specific to episodic memory in both the verbal and visual domain. Additionally, donezepil significantly improved long-term visual episodic recall. In none of the other functions under investigation any significant treatment effects were observed. Conclusion: Given this specific drug effect and the well-known relevance of the hippocampal region for episodic memory, we conclude that this region appears to be the major target of cholinergic enhancement in healthy subjects due to long-term inhibition of AchE.
Revue / Journal Title
Psychopharmacologia
ISSN
0033-3158
CODEN PSYPAG
Source / Source
2005, vol. 182, n
o1, pp. 170-179 [10 page(s) (article)] (1 p.1/2)
Langue / Language
Anglais
Editeur / Publisher
Springer, Berlin, ALLEMAGNE
(1959)
(Revue)
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Localisation / Location
INIST-CNRS, Cote INIST : 1761, 35400013474318.0190
Nº notice refdoc (ud4) : 17433127
