title: Cilostazol improves cognitive function in patients with mild cognitive impairment: a retrospective analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Cerebral ischemia and accumulation of amyloid β (Aβ) are major risk factors for the development of dementia, including vascular dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Cilostazol, an antiplatelet drug, has been shown to improve cerebral circulation and reduce accumulation of Aβ. In this study, the long-term effect of cilostazol on cognitive function was investigated retrospectively.
  
  
  METHODS
  Medical records at Sumotoitsuki Hospital were surveyed to find all patients treated with cilostazol and evaluated by the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) during at least two visits separated by an interval of more than 6 months. Patients receiving anti-dementia drugs were excluded. Temporal changes in MMSE scores were compared between patients treated with cilostazol (n = 70) and those who ceased administration of this drug (n = 22). The mean follow-up period was 691 days.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Decrease in MMSE score was significantly ameliorated by administration of cilostazol. Subgroup analysis revealed that cilostazol significantly improved MMSE score in patients with mild cognitive impairment, though no significant effect was observed in patients with normal cognitive function or dementia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although there are limitations to such a retrospective study, these results significantly encourage undertaking a prospective cohort study to determine the effect of cilostazol on mild cognitive impairment where no treatments currently exist.
authors.affiliation: Department of Regenerative Medicine Research, Institute of Biomedical Research and Innovation, Kobe, Japan.
authors.forename: Akihiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Taguchi
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takata
authors.forename: Masafumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ihara
authors.forename: Yukiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kasahara
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tsuji
authors.forename: Madoka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nishino
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stern
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Okada
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000077407:Cilostazol; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013777:Tetrazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D013777:Tetrazoles; D000077407:Cilostazol
keywords: Alzheimer's disease; amyloid β; antiplatelet drug; cerebral circulation; cilostazol; mild cognitive impairment