Long-term effects of tacrine on regional cerebral blood flow changes in Alzheimer's disease

Regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) was studied in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) before and after 14 months of tacrine treatment. The treated group was compared with an identical reference group of untreated AD patients. At baseline the two groups showed an identical rCBF and mean hemispheric blood flow. After 14 months the tacrine-treated patients showed a stable rCBF level and a significant increase in rCBF in the central-parietal regions, compared to the untreated reference group, who showed typical AD reductions in rCBF in these regions.

7 of 9 patients in the tacrine group were clinically unchanged or slightly improved during the study time. In the untreated group 8 of 11 patients had deteriorated in clinical assessments and none had improved. Long-term tacrine treatment in Alzheimer's disease may delay the progression of symptoms.