Propentofylline enhances cerebral metabolic response to auditory memory stimulation in Alzheimer's disease.
To evaluate efficacy, safety, metabolic and clinical effects of propentofylline in Alzheimer's disease (AD), a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was performed in 30 patients with mild to moderate AD who underwent pretreatment and posttreatment 18F-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography under resting conditions and during stimulation with an auditory memory paradigm. Twenty-eight subjects completed the 3-month study. The drug was well tolerated. In the active treatment group, a significant increase of cerebral metabolic response to the memory task was observed (multiple measurement ANOVA P = 0.02). The placebo group showed a significantly decline in the MMSE score (P = 0.02) while there was no change in the treatment group. This suggests a protective role for propentofylline in slowing the progression of AD.
Mielke
R
R
Max-Planck-Institut für Neurologische Forschung und Universitätsklinik für Neurologie, Köln, Germany. ruediger.mielke@pet.mpin-koeln.mpg.de
Ghaemi
M
M
Kessler
J
J
Kittner
B
B
Szelies
B
B
Herholz
K
K
Heiss
W D
WD
D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005462:Fluorine Radioisotopes; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D008875:Middle Aged; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011594:Psychometrics; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed; D014970:Xanthines / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D005462:Fluorine Radioisotopes; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D014970:Xanthines; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; C032114:propentofylline; D005947:Glucose