PROPENTOFYLLINE IMPROVES REGIONAL CEREBRAL GLUCOSE-METABOLISM AND NEUROPSYCHOLOGIC PERFORMANCE IN VASCULAR DEMENTIA

In a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in thirty patients with mi ld to moderate vascular dementia (VD) according to DSM-III-R criteria, the effects of the adenosine uptake blocker propentofylline (HWA 285) on regional cerebral glucose metabolism (rCMRGl) was studied using po sitron emission tomography of 2-[F-18]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG). 25 subjects completed the 3-months study. Propentofylline significantl y improved relative rCMRGl in the motor cortex, while relative rCMRGl in the placebo treated group worsened significantly. Neuropsychologica lly, visual information processing was improved in the propentofylline group and we observed a trend towards a slowing of the progression of cognitive deterioration in patients with VD. The results of the longi tudinal analysis showed further that neuropsychological and metabolic changes are closely related. These findings justify a large-scale clin ical trial to prove therapeutic efficacy.