A new analysis of existing research suggests there is “good evidence” that drugs commonly used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder also may be effective in treating Alzheimer’s disease.
UK researchers conducted an analysis of more than 30 years of clinical trials, from 1980 to through 2021 of noradrenergic drugs to assess their potential for improving cognitive function in Alzheimer’s patients. They included a total of 19 randomized controlled trials focusing on Alzheimer’s disease and mild cognitive impairment.
The study found evidence of small, but significant, improvements in cognitive function for Alzheimer’s patients. Noradrenergic drugs are commonly used to treat high blood pressure and ADHD.
“There is good evidence that drugs with principally noradrenergic action could be effective in treating cognitive symptoms and apathy in Alzheimer’s disease,” researchers wrote in the study’s abstract.
As a result researchers believe there is “strong rationale for further, targeted clinical trials of noradrenergic treatments in Alzheimer’s disease.”
While the use of noradrenergic drugs appears to improve cognition and reduce apathy among Alzheimer’s patients, the researchers noted that there did not seem to be a beneficial impact on attention and episodic memory.
They added that several factors should be considered in designing future clinical trials, including targeting of appropriate patient subgroups and understanding the dose effects of individual drugs to minimize risks and maximize therapeutic benefits.
The study appeared in the July 5 issue of the Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery & Psychiatry.
