|
|
Article: UCLA imaging study suggests Alzheimer's drug may help mild memory loss.
- Article from:
- NewsRx Health
- Article date:
- August 11, 2008
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2008 NewsRX. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
Alzheimer's disease is the end result of gradual, progressive brain aging. Positron emission technology (PET) scans of patients' brains typically reveal a decreased rate of metabolism, a hallmark of the disorder.
A small sample of adults with mild age-related memory loss was randomly assigned a daily placebo or Aricept, a drug that treats Alzheimer's symptoms. Both groups underwent PET brain scans before and after 18 months of treatment. The brains of people given Aricept showed an increased rate of metabolism and looked more normal than the brains of those who took the placebo. Both groups scored the same on memory tests, however, implying that PET scans may be ...