title: Rivastigmine for refractory REM behavior disorder in mild cognitive impairment.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and REM Behavior Disorder (RBD) are both associated with a degeneration of ponto-medullary cholinergic pathways.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a placebo-controlled, cross-over pilot trial of Rivastigmine (RVT) in 25 consecutive patients with MCI, who presented RBD refractory to conventional first-line treatments (melatonin up to 5 mg/day and clonazepam up to 2 mg/day).
  
  
  RESULTS
  RVT treatment was followed by a significant reduction of RBD episodes when compared with placebo.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data suggest that, in MCI patients with RBD resistant to conventional therapies (muscle relaxants benzodiazepines or melatonin,) treatment with RVT may induce a reduction in the frequency of RBD episodes compared to placebo.
authors.forename: Valerio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Brunetti
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Losurdo
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Testani
authors.forename: Leonardo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lapenta
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mariotti
authors.forename: Camillo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Marra
authors.forename: Paolo Maria
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Rossini
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neurology, Catholic University, Rome, Italy. v.burnetii@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Giacomo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Della Marca
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D048448:Phenylcarbamates / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017286:Polysomnography; D020187:REM Sleep Behavior Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology*; D000068836:Rivastigmine; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D048448:Phenylcarbamates; D000068836:Rivastigmine