Whilst there was only a limited pool of relatively small trials and a number of different compounds , we found that collectively , both AChEIs ( donepezil and rivastigmine ) and stimulants ( methylpheni date , modafinil , l‐amphetamine sulfate and lisdexamfetamine dimesylate ) offered no significant benefits over placebo on measures of processing speed , working memory , verbal fluency , verbal memory , visuospatial memory or executive functioning
HighlightsCognitive deficits are present in up to 70 % of people with multiple sclerosis (MS).There are no approved treatments for these difficulties .
We examined whether adjunctive pharmacotherapies can improve cognition in MS.Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors offered no significant benefits over placebo .
Stimulant‐based medications offered no significant benefits over placebo .
& NA ; We sought to examine the effectiveness of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors ( AChEIs ) and stimulant‐based medications for improving cognitive performance in patients with multiple sclerosis ( MS ) .
The effects of rivastigmine on processing speed and brain activation in patients with multiple sclerosis and subjective cognitive fatigue
Background : Cognitive decline and fatigue are typical in multiple sclerosis ( MS ) . However , there is no official medication for either of these symptoms . Objective : The purpose of this study was to estimate the effects of a single dose of rivastigmine on processing speed and associated brain activity in patients with MS and subjective cognitive fatigue . Methods : Fifteen patients with MS and subjective cognitive fatigue and 13 healthy controls ( HCs ) matched for age , gender and education performed a neuropsychological assessment and functional (f)MRI . A modified version of the Paced Visual Serial Addition Test ( mPVSAT ) was used as the behavioural task during fMRIs . After the first scanning session , both groups were r and omly divided into two subgroups receiving either rivastigmine or placebo . A single dose of rivastigmine or placebo was administrated double-blindly and 2.5 hours later the scanning was repeated . Results : At baseline , the patients with MS showed slower processing speed in mPVSAT compared with the HCs . They also demonstrated stronger bilateral frontal activation after sustained cognitive effort than the HCs . Performance improvement and a further activation increase in the left anterior frontal cortex and additional activation in the right cerebellum were observed in patients who received rivastigmine but not in patients on placebo , or in HCs with placebo or rivastigmine . Conclusion : These preliminary findings suggest that rivastigmine may improve cognitive processing speed by enhancing compensatory brain activation in patients with MS
Whilst there was only a limited pool of relatively small trials and a number of different compounds , we found that collectively , both AChEIs ( donepezil and rivastigmine ) and stimulants ( methylpheni date , modafinil , l‐amphetamine sulfate and lisdexamfetamine dimesylate ) offered no significant benefits over placebo on measures of processing speed , working memory , verbal fluency , verbal memory , visuospatial memory or executive functioning
HighlightsCognitive deficits are present in up to 70 % of people with multiple sclerosis (MS).There are no approved treatments for these difficulties .
We examined whether adjunctive pharmacotherapies can improve cognition in MS.Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors offered no significant benefits over placebo .
Stimulant‐based medications offered no significant benefits over placebo .
& NA ; We sought to examine the effectiveness of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors ( AChEIs ) and stimulant‐based medications for improving cognitive performance in patients with multiple sclerosis ( MS ) .