title: Alpha2-adrenergic agonist clonidine for improving spatial working memory in Parkinson's disease.
abstract: The loss of dopaminergic cells during Parkinson's disease (PD) produces "frontal"-like impairment in spatial working memory (SWM) and planning functions. This study investigated whether an alpha2-adrenergic agonist, clonidine (0.5 or 2 microg/kg, orally), improves SWM, spatial short-term or spatial recognition memory, and planning functions in PD patients. Clonidine 2 microg/kg decreased errors in SWM, but a lower dose, 0.5 microg/kg, had no effect on performance. Clonidine 0.5 and 2 microg/kg failed to improve the strategy used to solve the SWM test. Clonidine 0.5 and 2 microg/kg had no effect on accuracy of performance in the other tests. These results showed that clonidine improves performance in a test of SWM and that this is not due to improved spatial short-term or spatial recognition memory or planning functions. The authors suggest that stimulation of alpha2-adrenoceptors improves the mnemonic processing required for accurate SWM performance in PD patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology & Neuroscience, University Hospital and University of Kuopio, Finland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Riekkinen
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Riekkinen
mesh_terms: D058647:Adrenergic alpha-2 Receptor Agonists; D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D003000:Clonidine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000187:drug effects; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology*; D013028:Space Perception / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D058647:Adrenergic alpha-2 Receptor Agonists; D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D003000:Clonidine