Tuesday 5 July 2022 11:39 PM ADHD drugs could treat ALZHEIMER'S: Scientists say there's 'good evidence' trends now
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Common drugs given to hyperactive children could also treat Alzheimer's, research suggests.
Dementia patients given ADHD medication like Ritalin saw significant improvements to their cognition and brain function, according to a review.
The drugs are thought to be a good match because they kickstart a brain region that influences things like attention, learning and memory.
British researchers looked at 19 studies that dated back 40 years and involved nearly 2,000 patients, mostly aged between 65 and 80.
Participants given noradrenergic drugs saw a 'small but significant' improvement in overall cognition, including memory, verbal fluency and language.
The team also discovered the drugs influenced behaviour, and made patients feel less apathy and lack of motivation.
The researchers from Imperial College London, the University of Cambridge and University College London are now calling for more clinical trials of the drugs' effect on Alzheimer's. They say there is 'good evidence' the drugs could help.
Common drugs given to hyperactive children like Ritalin could treat Alzheimer's disease, research suggests
The team analysed 19 studies published between 1980 and 2021 that looked at the effect of ADHD drugs on people with Alzheimer's and mild cognitive impairment.
The medicines — which were given to patients for between two weeks and a year — work by targeting noradrenaline, a chemical substance that is released by a network of specialised neurons in the body.
This network is critical for many cognitive processes including attention, learning, memory and the suppression of inappropriate behaviours.
The drugs had no effect on attention, according to the study. But there was small improvements to overall cognition and a 'large positive effect' on apathy symptoms.
Reacting to the findings, Dr Mark Dallas, associate professor in cellular
