A PILOT-STUDY OF CLONIDINE PLUS PHYSOSTIGMINE IN ALZHEIMERS-DISEASE

To assess the feasibility of one approach to combined cholinergic/nora drenergic treatment in Alzheimer's disease, ten patients were enrolled in a 2-week placebo-controlled study of oral physostigmine plus cloni dine. The Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale (ADAS) was used as the primary outcome measure. Neither physostigmine alone, nor the combinat ion of physostigmine plus clonidine, was associated with a statistical ly significant improvement for the group. Three patients did show an i mprovement of at least 4 points on the total ADAS score with the drug combination. The implications of these results for treatment strategie s are discussed.