Cerebrospinal fluid acetylcholinesterase activity after long-term treatment with donepezil and rivastigmina

At present acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors (AChEIs) represent the on ly reliable therapeutic resource for symptomatic treatment of Alzheimer Dis ease (AD). This study was designed to assess the effects of 6-12 month trea tment with AChEIs donepezil and rivastigmine on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) A ChE and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) activity in AD patients. The pattern of AChE isoforms (G4, G1, G2) before and after treatment was investigated a s well. In AD patients treated with donepezil a significant increase of CFS AChE activity was observed, whereas treatment with rivastigmine induced a significant decrease of AChE activity. Both drugs did not change BuChE acti vity and tended to restore the physiological pattern of AChE isoform. The p ossible significance of the influence of AChEIs on CSF AChE activity and is oforms is discussed. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights rese rved.