[Possibilities of preventive treatment of Alzheimer's disease: results of the 3-year open prospective comparative study on efficacy and safety of the course therapy with cerebrolysin and cavinton in elderly patients with the syndrome of mild cognitive impairment].

The study was conducted in 3 Russian centers (Moscow, St. Petersburg and Nizhniy Novgorod). The total sample included 110 patients whose mental state met the definition of <> (MCI). Patient's status was assessed with widely used scales (MMSE, GDS, CDR etc) and a battery of neuropsychological tests. Genotyping for the APOE polymorphism was performed as well. Patients were stratified into 2 comparable groups in compliance with the specifics of therapy: 55 patients were treated with cerebrolysin and 55 - with cavinton. The superiority of cerebrolysin over cavinton in slowing down of the cognitive deficit progression and delaying the time or transition of patients to the diagnostic category of Alzheimer's disease was demonstrated. Cerebrolysin was particularly effective in MCI patients with the ApoE(+) genotype, i.e. in those with higher risk for Alzheimer's disease. Adverse effects during the treatment were rare in both groups.

[Tanakan (EGb 761) in the therapy of mild cognitive impairment].

Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) means cognitive deterioration not yet causing disability or dementia. Aged patients with MCI constitute a group of high risk for Alzheimer disease and other types of dementia. Currently, there is no generally adopted approach to MCI management but medications with neuroprotective properties are presumed to be the most perspective. Presented are the results of a multicentral open-label clinical trial of vascular and neuroprotective drug tanakan (EGb 761). The study has shown the decrease of cognitive impairment, which was both clinically and statistically significant, in patients at early stages of vascular and neurodegenerative pathological process. Probable efficacy of long-term tanakan treatment in prevention of dementia is discussed.

[The influence of ceruloplasmin on the rat neocortical ultrastructure in circulatory hypoxia].

Diffuse cerebral ischemia and circulatory hypoxia were modeled by carotid arteries occlusion in 40 white Wistar male rats. The changes of microcirculation bed and neurons of the sensomotor cortical area in hypoxia, preventive and therapeutic regimes of ceruloplasmin injections were compared to the neocortex state of intact rats. The changes of the neocortical ultrastructure established by electron microscopy were characteristic of hypoxic lesions described earlier in the literature. As a result of prolonged administration of ceruloplasmin there was a significant decrease of sensomotor neocortical hypostasis and improvement of microcirculation that suggested its neuroprotective properties.