There is always cost to interrupting the normal function of the body. What are the consequences of manipulating the neuro system in delaying dementia?
If you mean the "side-effects" of Aricept and Namenda on cognition, there are a lot of evidence about it. For example, the attached publication mentioned that donepezil (Aricept) impaires consolidation when applied before sleep by elevating ACh level which is normally low during sleep.
Namenda (memantine) as an NMDA antagonist and a neuroprotective agent may have beneficial effects on progression of dementia, but acutely it may have negative effects on cognition.
It is not surprising that there is a great interest towards the development of new cognitive enhancer drugs.
Article The Role of Acetylcholine in Learning and Memory
Thank you. My observation is that while it does maintain memory longer ... there seems to be an uneven progression of mental capacity. And that it creates more anger and depression than in 'normal' circumstances. I appreciate the articles and further references that I can explore!
Also - with elder patients being on multiple medications - primary care physicians need to be aware of the side effects of Aricept/Namenda. I have seen multiple cases where the patient was complaining of severe muscle pain and because they were on lasix - were prescribed potassium, etc. However the possibility that it was actually a side effect of Aricept was not considered.
Yes, chronic use of cholinesterase inhibitors can down regulate cholinergic neurotransmission and therefore abrupt discontinuation of cholinergic therapy may lead to an exacerbation of memory deficits. See Rainer et al., 2001.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11768631
* Common Namenda side effects: (As per the product literature)
Diarrhea
Constipation
Loss of appetite
Dizziness
Tired feeling unusual weakness
Weight loss
Swelling hands / feet
Easy bruising or bleeding,
Joint pain;
Anxiety
Aggression
Diuresis
* Other drugs may also interact with memantine, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products.
* Less common side effects
Bloating or swelling of the face, arms, hands, lower legs, or feet
Nervousness
Pounding in the ears
Rapid weight gain
Slow or fast heartbeat
Tingling of the hands or feet
Unusual weight gain or loss
thank you! I am actually looking for actual consequences of interfering with the normal progression .... just as birth control that limits the menstrual period to 4 times a year creates increased risk for blood clots - is there a cost to manipulating the brain process?
At least one study has shown that higher cumulative anticholinergic use is associated with an increased risk for dementia.
see Gray et al., 2015
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25621434
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