Am J Psychiatry 1981; 138:593-600
Copyright © 1981 by American Psychiatric Association
An overview of pharmacologic treatment of cognitive decline in the aged
B Reisberg, SH Ferris and S Gershon
The most widely known substances that have been investigated for treating
cognitive deterioration in the aged are cerebral vasodilators, Gerovital
H3, psychostimulants, "nootropics," neuropeptides, and neurotransmitters.
The rationale for the choice of specific agents has shifted as our
conceptions regarding the origins of cognitive decline have changed; we now
know that most cognitive deterioration occurs independently of
arteriosclerotic vascular changes. Substances currently being investigated
because of their effects on brain electrophysiology, on neurohumoral
processes, or on central neurotransmitters show promise.
