title: Delayed blink reflex in dementia with Lewy bodies is sensitive to cholinergic modulation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the possible responsiveness of blink reflex alterations present in dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) to treatment with cholinesterase inhibitors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-six patients with DLB and 20 patients with Alzheimer disease underwent clinical, neuropsychological (including assessment of cognitive fluctuations, with the Cognitive Assessment of Fluctuations and the One-Day Fluctuation Assessment questionnaires), and the blink reflex evaluation at baseline, 1 week after vitamin E administration (to assess test-retest reliability), and 1 and 2 weeks after donepezil administration at the dose of 10 mg/d. Results were compared with data obtained from 30 healthy controls treated with vitamin E capsules for 2 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Treatment with donepezil did not cause modifications of cognitive or motor performances in both groups of patients. In DLB patients, One-Day Fluctuation Assessment scores were modified by donepezil treatment with a mean reduction of 2.8 +/- 1.8 compared with baseline (P < 0.05). After 2 weeks of treatment with donepezil, R2 latency was significantly decreased in DLB patients. The mean R2 latency reduction was by 3.0 +/- 3.2 milliseconds (P < 0.0001 compared with baseline). R2 mean latency reduction was significantly correlated with R2 mean latency delay at baseline (Spearman rho = 0.8).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Short-term donepezil administration can correct the alterations of the blink response together with the daily occurrence of cognitive fluctuations present in DLB patients.
authors.affiliation: Neurophysiopathology Unit, Department of Oncology and Neuroscience, University G. D'Annunzio, G. D'Annunzio Foundation CE.S.I, Chieti-Pescara, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Anzellotti
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bonanni
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Iorio
authors.forename: Fabiana
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Di Baldassarre
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: D'Andreagiovanni
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Monaco
authors.forename: Astrid
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Onofrj
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001767:Blinking / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D018450:Disease Progression; D000077265:Donepezil; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007189:Indans / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020961:Lewy Body Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010880:Piperidines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors; D007189:Indans; D010880:Piperidines; D014810:Vitamin E; D000077265:Donepezil