Memory loss is a common problem with advancing age and a prominent symptom in dementia. Categories of drugs used to reverse memory loss and enhance recall are reviewed. Positive results have been observed with cholinergic drugs, acetylcholine precursors, and the newer category of cerebral metabolic enhancers and nootropic agents. Combinations of these classes of drugs are being tried in current research.
KralVA. Senescent forgetfulness: Benign and malignant. Can Med Assoc J1962; 86: 257–60.
2.
KralVA. Benign senescent forgetfulness. In: KatzmanRTerryRDBickKL, eds. Alzheimer's disease: Senile dementia and related disorders. New York: Raven Press, 1978: 47–51.
3.
American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. 3rd ed.Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association, 1980.
4.
RabbitP.Age and the use of structure in transmitted information. In: TallandGA, ed. Human aging and behavior. New York: Academic Press, 1968: 75–92.
5.
KanowskiS.Nootropics: Myth or reality?Drug Dev Res1982; 2: 433–9.
6.
GilbertJGDonnellyKJZimmerLEKubisJF. Effect of magnesium pemoline and methylphenidate on memory improvement and mood in normal aging subjects. Aging Human Dev1973; 4: 35–51.
7.
BotwinickJ.Aging and behavior. 2nd ed.New York: Springer-Verlag, 1978.
8.
TallandGA. Age and the span of immediate recall. In: TallandGA, ed. Human aging and behavior. New York: Academic Press, 1968: 93–129.
9.
CraikFIM. Short-term memory and the aging process. In: TallandGA, ed. Human aging and behavior. New York: Academic Press, 1968: 131–68.
10.
OrdyJMBrizzeeKRBartusRT. Neuropsychopharmacology: Drug modification of memory in relation to aging in human and non-human primate brain. In: JarvikLFGreenblattDJHarmonD, eds. Clinical pharmacology and the aged patient. New York: Raven Press, 1981: 79–102.
11.
HultschDDeutschF.Adult development and aging. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1981.
12.
CanestrariRE. Age changes in acquisition. In: TallandGA, ed. Human aging and behavior. New York: Academic Press, 1968: 169–88.
13.
SurwilloWW. Timing of behavior in senescence and the role of the central nervous system. In: TallandGA, ed. Human aging and behavior. New York: Academic Press, 1968: 1–35.
14.
SquireLRDavisHP. The pharmacology of memory: A neurobiological perspective. Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol1981; 21: 323–56.
15.
JarvikMEGritzERSchneiderNG. Drugs and memory disorders in human aging. Behav Biol1972; 7: 643–68.
16.
DrachmanDAGlosserGFlemingPLongeneckerG.Memory decline in the aged: Treatment with lecithin and physostigmine. Neurology (NY) 1982; 32: 944–50.
17.
BartusRT. Cholinergic drug effects on memory and cognition in animals. In: PoonLW, ed. Aging in the 1980's. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association, 1980: 163–80.
18.
DavisKLMohsRCDavisBM, Human memory and the effects of physostigmine and choline chloride. Psychopharmacol Bull1980; 16: 27–8.
19.
MohsRCDavisKLDarleyC.Cholinergic drug effects on memory and cognition in humans. In: PoonLW, ed. Aging in the 1980's. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association, 1980: 181–90.
20.
KentS.Can drugs halt memory loss?Geriatrics1981; 36: 34–42.
21.
DavisKLYamamuraHI. Cholinergic underactivity in human memory disorders. Life Sci1978; 23: 1729–34.
22.
DrachmanDALeavittJ.Human memory and the cholinergic system: A relationship to aging?Arch Neurol1974; 30: 113–21.
23.
LevineFMSpitalnikRDobosC.Effects on geriatric senility: Effect of belladonna on learning and memory of geriatric patients. Percept Mot Skills1973; 37: 1003–7.
24.
DrachmanDA. Memory and cognitive function in man: Does the cholinergic system have a specific role?Neurology (NY) 1977; 27: 783–90.
25.
ReisbergBFerrisSHGershonS.An overview of pharmacologic treatment of cognitive decline. Am J Psychiatry1981; 138: 593–600.
26.
ChristieJESheringAFergusonJGlenAIM. Physostigmine and arecoline: Effects of intravenous infusions in Alzheimer's presenile dementia. Br J Psychiatry1981; 138: 46–50.
27.
BartusRTDeanRLBeerBLippaAS. The cholinergic hypothesis of geriatric memory dysfunction. Science1982; 217: 408–17.
28.
MohsRCDavisKLTinklenbergJRHollisterLEYesavageJAKopellBS. Choline chloride treatment of memory deficits in the elderly. Am J Psychiatry1979; 136: 1275–7.
29.
ThalLJFuldPA. Memory enhancement with oral physostigmine in Alzheimer's disease (letter). N Engl J Med1983; 308: 720.
30.
MarshGRLinnoilaM.The effects of deanol on cognitive performance and electrophysiology in elderly humans. Psychopharmacology (Berlin) 1979; 66: 99–104.
31.
FerrisSHSathananthanGGershonSClarkC.Senile dementia: Treatment with deanol. J Am Geriatr Soc1977; 25: 241–4.
32.
DrachmanDASahakianBJ. Memory and cognitive function in the elderly: A preliminary trial of physostigmine. Arch Neurol1980; 37: 674–5.
33.
JohnsCAGreenwaldBSMohsRCDavisKL. The cholinergic treatment strategy in aging and senile dementia. Psychopharmacol Bull1983; 19: 185–97.
34.
BurnsJTHouseRFFenschFCMillerJG. Effects of magnesium pemoline and dextroamphetamine on human learning. Science1967; 155: 849–51.
35.
CrookTFerrisSSathananthanGRaskinAGershonS.The effect of methylphenidate on test performance in the cognitively impaired aged. Psychopharmacology (Berlin) 1977; 52: 251–5.
36.
LehmanHEBanTA. Central nervous system stimulants and anabolic substances in geropsychiatric therapy. In: GershonSRaskinA, eds. Genesis and treatment of psychologic disorders in the elderly. New York: Raven Press, 1975: 179–202.
37.
CameronDESvedSSolyomLWainribBBarikH.Effects of ribonucleic acid on memory deficit in the aged. Am J Psychiatry1963; 120: 320–5.
38.
EisdorferCConnerJFWilkieFL. The effect of magnesium pemoline on cognition and behavior. J Gerontol1968; 23: 283–8.
39.
ShaderRIHarmatzJRKochanskyGWColeJO. Psychopharmacologic investigations in healthy elderly volunteers: Effects of pipradol-vitamin (Alertonic) elixir and placebo in relation to research design. J Am Geriatr Soc1975; 23: 277–9.
40.
TartaroTJOsborneDPRandtCTDefinaPA. MAO inhibition and memory (letter). N Engl J Med1980; 303: 705–6.
41.
ColeJOBranconnierRJMartinGF. Electroencephalographic and behavioral changes associated with papaverine administration in healthy geriatric subjects. J Am Geriatr Soc1975; 23: 295–300.
42.
FerrisSHReisbergBGershonS.Neuropeptide modulation of cognition and memory in humans. In: PoonLW, ed. Aging in the 1980's. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association, 1980: 212–20.
43.
BranconnierRJColeJOGardosG.ACTH 4-10 in the amelioration of neurophysiological symptomatology associated with senile organic brain syndrome. Psychopharmacology (Berlin) 1979; 61: 161–5.
44.
De WiedDVan ReeJM. Neuropeptides, mental performance and aging. Life Sci1982; 31: 709–19.
45.
WeingartnerHGoldPBallengerJC, Effects of vasopressin on human memory functions. Science1981; 211: 601–3.
46.
BartusRTDeanRLBeerB.An evaluation of drugs for improving memory in aged monkeys: Implications for clinical trials in humans. Psychopharmacol Bull1983; 19: 168–84.
47.
ChouinardGAnnableLRoss-ChouinardAOlivierMFontaineF.Piracetam in elderly psychotic patients with mild diffuse cerebral impairment. Psychopharmacology (Berlin) 1983; 81: 100–6.
48.
BranconnierRJ. The efficacy of the cerebral metabolic enhancers in the treatment of senile dementia. Psychopharmacol Bull1983; 19: 212–9.
49.
NicolausBJR. Chemistry and pharmacology of nootropics. Drug Dev Res1982; 2: 463–74.
50.
GiurgeaCE. The nootropic concept and its prospective implications. Drug Dev Res1982; 2: 441–6.
51.
ItilTMMenonGNBozakMSongarA.The effects of oxiracetam (ISF 2522) in patients with organic brain syndrome (a double-blind controlled study with piracetam). Drug Dev Res1982; 2: 447–61.
52.
MindusPCronholmBLevanderSESchallingD.Piracetam-induced improvement of mental performance: A controlled study on normally aging individuals. Acta Psychiatr Scand1976; 54: 150–60.
53.
ChouinardGAnnableLRoss-ChouinardAOlivierMFontaineF.A double-blind, placebo-controlled study of piracetam in elderly psychiatric patients (letter). Psychopharmacol Bull1981; 17: 129.
54.
AbuzzahabFSMerwinGEZimmermanRLShermanMC. A double-blind investigation of piracetam (Nootropil) versus placebo in the memory of geriatric inpatients. Psychopharmacol Bull1978; 14: 23–5.
55.
ReisbergBFerrisSHSchneckMK, Piracetam in the treatment of cognitive impairment in the elderly. Drug Dev Res1982; 2: 475–80.
56.
FriedmanEShermanKAFerrisSHReisbergBBartusRTSchneckMK. Clinical response to choline plus piracetam in senile dementia: Relation to red-cell choline levels. N Engl J Med1981; 304: 1490–1.
57.
MessingRJensenRAMartinezJL, Naloxone enhancement of memory. Behav Neurol Biol1979; 27: 266–75.
58.
GallagherM, Naloxone enhancement of memory processes: Effects of other opiate antagonists. Behav Neurol Biol1982; 35: 375–82.
59.
ReisbergBFerrisSHAnandRMirPGeibelVDe LeonMJ. Effects of naloxone in senile dementia: A double-blind trial. N Engl J Med1983; 308: 721–2.
60.
RigterHHannanTJMessingRB, Enkephalins interfere with acquisition of an active avoidance response. Life Sci1980; 26: 337–45.
61.
GahwilerBH. Excitatory action of opioid peptides and opiates on cultured hippocampal pyramidal cells. Brain Res1980; 194: 193–203.
62.
ResibergBLondonEFerrisSHAnandRDe LeonMJ. Novel pharmacologic approaches to the treatment of senile dementia of the Alzheimer's type (SDAT). Psychopharmacol Bull1983; 19: 220–5.
BaskinDSHosobuchiY.Naloxone reversal of ischemic neurological deficits in man. Lancet1981; 2: 272–5.
65.
SmithWLLowreyJB. Effects of diphenylhydantoin on mental abilities in the elderly. J Am Geriatr Soc1975; 23: 205–11.
66.
Dorsey Laboratories. Hydergine: General summary of information. East Hanover, NJ: Pharmaceutical Division, Sandoz Inc., 1982.
67.
HughesJRWilliamsJGCurrierRD. An ergot alkaloid preparation (Hydergine) in the treatment of dementia: Critical review of the clinical literature. J Am Geriatr Soc1976; 24: 490–7.
68.
KentS.Preventing senile dementia: Hope for the future. Geriatrics1981; 36: 130–6.
69.
RosenHJ. Mental decline in the elderly: Pharmacotherapy (ergot alkaloids vs. papaverine). J Am Geriatr Soc1975; 23: 169–74.
70.
BranconnierRJColeJO. A memory assessment technique for use in geriatric psychopharmacology: Drug efficacy trial with naftidrofuryl. J Am Geriatr Soc1977; 25: 186–8.
71.
BranconnierRJColeJO. The impairment index as a symptom-independent parameter of drug efficacy in geriatric psychopharmacology. J Gerontol1978; 33: 217–23.
72.
TinklenbergJRThorntonJE. Neuropeptides in geriatric psychopharmacology. Psychopharmacol Bull1983; 19: 198–211.
