title: Reduction of motoric agitation and restlessness by AF102B and tacrine in the macaque.
abstract: The cholinesterase inhibitor tacrine (THA) and the M1 muscarinic agonist AF102B (cevimeline), both reported to enhance cognition in animals and humans, were tested in 5 macaques for reduction of spontaneous, random movements. Monkeys were videotaped 1 hour after administration of normal saline vehicle, after low- and high-dose intramuscular AF102B, and after low- and high-dose oral THA. Two independent blind judges counted numbers of spontaneous movements made by each monkey over 12 consecutive 15-second segments for each drug condition. Both THA and AF102B reduced movement significantly at high doses without overt side effects, warranting further research on the agitation-reducing potential of cognition-enhancing cholinomimetic drugs.
authors.affiliation: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Sepulveda Medical Centers, Los Angeles, California, USA. jfitten@ucla.edu
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Fitten
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ortiz
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Siembieda
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: O'Neill
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Halgren
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fisher
mesh_terms: D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000818:Animals; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D008255:Macaca radiata; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D018721:Muscarinic Agonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011595:Psychomotor Agitation / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011812:Quinuclidines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013619:Tacrine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013876:Thiophenes