Early treatment may halt memory loss

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) - becoming forgetful and absent-minded - is often a feature of old age and can become a precursor to Alzheimer's disease. Some - though by no means all - studies have shown that cognitive training (games, practice and strategies to improve memory) and a class of drugs called cholesterinase inhibitors can help people with mild cognitive impairment and a recent study of 59 people with MCI in Italy has added a bit more weight to the case for these treatments. Subjects were divided into three groups. One group received no treatment, another just cholesterinase inhibitors and the third group received cholesterinase inhibitors and cognitive training. After a year those people who received no treatment were about the same. Those people who received cholesterinase inhibitors alone were less depressed but the group who received cholesterinase inhibitors and cognitive training showed improved memories, greater powers of reasoning and less symptoms of depression.

Rozzini, Luca ... [et al] - Efficacy of cognitive rehabilitation in patients with mild cognitive impairment treated with cholesterinase inhibitors International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry April 2007, 22(4), 356-360