Borkowska_2005_Hum.Psychopharmacol_20_409

The aim of this study was to assess cognitive functioning measured by selected psychometric and neuropsychological tools in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) after 1-year treatment with acetylcholinesterase inhibitors. Seventy-six patients (22 male and 54 female) with a mild to moderate stage of AD, aged 56-86 (mean 68) years, were treated. Forty-seven received donepezil (mean dose 9.3 mg/d) and 29 rivastigmine (mean dose 8.5 mg/d). Cognitive measurements included: the mini mental state examination (MMSE), the Alzheimer disease assessment scale-cognitive (ADAS- cog), the trail making test (TMT) and the Stroop color word interference test. The assessments were made before and after 3, 6 and 12 months of treatment. A significant improvement in ADAS-cog (p < 0.001, 83% of patients improved) and a worsening in MMSE (84% of patients worsened, p < 0.01 after 6 and 12 months) was noted after the 1 year treatment. A majority of patients (57%) improved in the TMT-A (p < 0.001), measuring psychomotor speed and worsened in the TMT-B (p < 0.01, after 12 months), and Stroop B test (p < 0.001), measuring working memory and executive functions, 53% and 61%, respectively. Most patients (83%) did not change their performance in the Stroop A (improvement after 3 months, p < 0.001, worsening after 6 and 12 months p < 0.01) test measuring verbal abilities, after 1 year treatment. The results obtained suggest that the treatment with cholinergic drugs may improve global cognitive functioning (ADAS-cog) and psychomotor speed (TMT A), however, such treatment is unable to prevent the deterioration of working memory and executive functions.