HIPPOCAMPAL ATROPHY, ACUTE THA TREATMENT AND MEMORY IN ALZHEIMERS-DISEASE

WE designed the present study to investigate the hypothesis that progr ession of hippocampal pathology may decrease the therapeutic effects o f anti-cholinesterase drug, tetrahydroaminoacridine, on memory functio ning in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. Memory, visuoconstructive, executive and vigilance functions were assessed after administration o f placebo (p.o.; two placebo sessions) and tetrahydroaminoacridine (on e session for 25 and 75 mg, p.o.). Eight patients performed better on list learning tests during tetrahydroaminoacridine 75 mg than after pl acebo or tetrahydroaminoacridine 25 mg. The responders performed durin g baseline examination better than the non-responders in executive and some declarative memory functions, and had higher MMSE scores than th e non-responders. The responders had larger left and right hippocampi than the non-responders. The hippocampal volume correlated with list l earning performance. The results suggest that severe hippocampal atrop hy may block memory improving effect of an anticholinesterase drug, te trahydroaminoacridine.