Patent Document ID: 5567682
Application ID: 08346334
Patent Flag: 1

Claim One:
1. A method of treating the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease by reducing or halting a loss of neurons, comprising intranasally administering to a person suffering from Alzheimer's dementia a therapeutically effective amount of a peptide of the formula: EQU R.sup.a -Ser-Thr-Thr-Thr-Asn-Tyr-R.sup.b (I) where R.sup.a represents an amino terminal residue Ala- or D-Ala- and R.sup.b represents a carboxyl terminal residue -Thr or Thr amide and/or an additional Cys-residue at one or both of the amino and carboxyl terminals, or a peptide of the formula: EQU R.sup.1 -R.sup.2 -R.sup.3 -R.sup.4 -R.sup.5 (II) where R.sup.1 is an amino terminal residue Thr-, Ser-, Asn-, Leu-, Ile-, Arg- or Glu-; R.sup.2 is Thr, Ser or Asp; R.sup.3 is Thr, Ser, Asn, Arg, Gln, Lys or Trp; R.sup.4 is Tyr; and R.sup.5 is a carboxyl terminal amino group with a corresponding D-amino acid as the amino terminal residue, and/or a corresponding amide derivative at the carboxyl terminal residue and/or additionally a Cys-residue at one or both of the amino and carboxyl terminals, or a physiologically acceptable salt thereof.