COMPARISON OF TENILOXAZINE AND PIRACETAM IN ALZHEIMER-TYPE OR VASCULAR DEMENTIA

In recent years, various pharmacologic approaches to improve the cogni tive function of elderly patients with dementia have been proposed, Th ese approaches are based on the observation that the drugs used act ei ther directly or indirectly on neurotransmitters and their precursors. Recent studies have shown that teniloxazine, a new chemical entity, a cts on specific neurotransmitters, inhibiting cerebral reuptake of nor adrenaline, blocking serotoninergic transmission, and restoring normal energy metabolism in the brain, This study compared the effects of te niloxazine and piracetam on the specific behavioral symptoms of Alzhei mer-type or vascular dementia, The trial was conducted in six centers throughout Italy and included 117 patients (46 women and 71 men), aged 47 to 80 years, with Alzheimer-type degenerative dementia (62 patient s) or vascular dementia (55 patients), Patients were randomized to rec eive either teniloxazine 80 mg twice daily (n = 57) or piracetam 800 m g twice daily (n = 60) for 3 months, Patients took tablets at 8 AM and 6 PM, The two drugs were similar in efficacy in terms of improvement in somatic and psychosensorial symptoms, and cognitive and behavioral performance, assessed with the Sandoz Clinical Assessment Geriatric Ra ting Scale (P < 0.01, analysis of variance between times), Both drugs improved short-term memory. Scores on the Hamilton Rating Scale for De pression showed a larger reduction with teniloxazine (26.4%) than with piracetam (16.8%), indicative of a good improvement in the initial de pressive symptoms. Few adverse events occurred (7 with teniloxazine an d 5 with piracetam); 1 patient treated with piracetam did not show up for the last visit and was considered a dropout, Both drugs were consi dered therapeutically safe.