A drug to combat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder increases the level of norepinephrine in the brain. Researchers believe that this will slow down the development of senile dementia.
Scientists from Emory Brine Health Center have concluded that the drug atomoxetine, created to combat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), is able to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. This is the most common type of senile dementia, which develops due to the death of brain neurons and disruption of connections between neural networks. Tau proteins, which accumulate in nodes in the brain, contribute to this disease.
During the study, 39 patients with mild cognitive impairment received atomoxetine therapy for 6 months. The drug reduced inflammation, as well as the amount of tau proteins in the cerebrospinal fluid. Scientists believe that atomoxetine is able to increase the level of norepinephrine in the brain, and this will slow down the development of an insidious disease. Note that this drug has been used for more than two decades as an approved treatment for ADHD in the United States.
Previous experiments using laboratory rats and mice have shown that high levels of norepinephrine have a positive effect on cognitive functions. This is what makes atomoxetine a very promising drug, but additional research is needed to use it in this direction.
