A Systematic Review on Drugs Acting as Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Agonists in the Treatment of Dementia
Acetylcholine signaling is attenuated in early Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other dementias. A significant reduction in the expression of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) in the brain of AD patients has also been reported in several molecular biological and in situ labeling studies. The mo...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2024-01-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/13/3/237 |
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| author | Alessio Crestini Elena Carbone Roberto Rivabene Antonio Ancidoni Paolo Rosa Ada Maria Tata Elisa Fabrizi Nicoletta Locuratolo Nicola Vanacore Eleonora Lacorte Paola Piscopo |
| author_facet | Alessio Crestini Elena Carbone Roberto Rivabene Antonio Ancidoni Paolo Rosa Ada Maria Tata Elisa Fabrizi Nicoletta Locuratolo Nicola Vanacore Eleonora Lacorte Paola Piscopo |
| author_sort | Alessio Crestini |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Acetylcholine signaling is attenuated in early Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other dementias. A significant reduction in the expression of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) in the brain of AD patients has also been reported in several molecular biological and in situ labeling studies. The modulation of the functional deficit of the cholinergic system as a pharmacological target could therefore have a clinical benefit, which is not to be neglected. This systematic review was conducted to identify clinical trials, which evaluated the safety and efficacy of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonists using Clinicaltrial (CT) and EudraCT databases. Structured searches identified 39 trials, which used 15 different drugs designed to increase the function of the nAChRs. Most of the identified clinical trials were phase II trials, with some of them classified as ongoing for several years. The systematic screening of the literature led to the selection of 14 studies out of the 8261 bibliographic records retrieved. Six trials reported detailed data on adverse events associated with the intervention, while twelve trials reported data on efficacy measures, such as attention, behavior and cognition. Overall, smost of the physical side effects of cholinergic agonists were reported to be well tolerated. Some trials also reported improvements in attention. However, the efficacy of these drugs in other cognitive and behavioral outcomes remains highly controversial. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T03:59:57Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-bc2447d183e040c8b240aeaf890e3ef6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4409 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T03:59:57Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cells |
| spelling | doaj.art-bc2447d183e040c8b240aeaf890e3ef62024-02-09T15:09:40ZengMDPI AGCells2073-44092024-01-0113323710.3390/cells13030237A Systematic Review on Drugs Acting as Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Agonists in the Treatment of DementiaAlessio Crestini0Elena Carbone1Roberto Rivabene2Antonio Ancidoni3Paolo Rosa4Ada Maria Tata5Elisa Fabrizi6Nicoletta Locuratolo7Nicola Vanacore8Eleonora Lacorte9Paola Piscopo10Department of Neuroscience, Italian National Institute of Health, 00161 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Neuroscience, Italian National Institute of Health, 00161 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Neuroscience, Italian National Institute of Health, 00161 Rome, ItalyNational Center for Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Italian National Institute of Health, 00161 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Medical-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Polo Pontino, 04100 Latina, ItalyDepartment of Biology and Biotechnologies Charles Darwin, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, ItalyNational Center for Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Italian National Institute of Health, 00161 Rome, ItalyNational Center for Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Italian National Institute of Health, 00161 Rome, ItalyNational Center for Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Italian National Institute of Health, 00161 Rome, ItalyNational Center for Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Italian National Institute of Health, 00161 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Neuroscience, Italian National Institute of Health, 00161 Rome, ItalyAcetylcholine signaling is attenuated in early Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other dementias. A significant reduction in the expression of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) in the brain of AD patients has also been reported in several molecular biological and in situ labeling studies. The modulation of the functional deficit of the cholinergic system as a pharmacological target could therefore have a clinical benefit, which is not to be neglected. This systematic review was conducted to identify clinical trials, which evaluated the safety and efficacy of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonists using Clinicaltrial (CT) and EudraCT databases. Structured searches identified 39 trials, which used 15 different drugs designed to increase the function of the nAChRs. Most of the identified clinical trials were phase II trials, with some of them classified as ongoing for several years. The systematic screening of the literature led to the selection of 14 studies out of the 8261 bibliographic records retrieved. Six trials reported detailed data on adverse events associated with the intervention, while twelve trials reported data on efficacy measures, such as attention, behavior and cognition. Overall, smost of the physical side effects of cholinergic agonists were reported to be well tolerated. Some trials also reported improvements in attention. However, the efficacy of these drugs in other cognitive and behavioral outcomes remains highly controversial.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/13/3/237nicotinic acetylcholine receptornicotinic agonistsdementiaAlzheimer’s diseaseneurodegenerative diseasedisease-modifying therapies |
| spellingShingle | Alessio Crestini Elena Carbone Roberto Rivabene Antonio Ancidoni Paolo Rosa Ada Maria Tata Elisa Fabrizi Nicoletta Locuratolo Nicola Vanacore Eleonora Lacorte Paola Piscopo A Systematic Review on Drugs Acting as Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Agonists in the Treatment of Dementia Cells nicotinic acetylcholine receptor nicotinic agonists dementia Alzheimer’s disease neurodegenerative disease disease-modifying therapies |
| title | A Systematic Review on Drugs Acting as Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Agonists in the Treatment of Dementia |
| title_full | A Systematic Review on Drugs Acting as Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Agonists in the Treatment of Dementia |
| title_fullStr | A Systematic Review on Drugs Acting as Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Agonists in the Treatment of Dementia |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Systematic Review on Drugs Acting as Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Agonists in the Treatment of Dementia |
| title_short | A Systematic Review on Drugs Acting as Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Agonists in the Treatment of Dementia |
| title_sort | systematic review on drugs acting as nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonists in the treatment of dementia |
| topic | nicotinic acetylcholine receptor nicotinic agonists dementia Alzheimer’s disease neurodegenerative disease disease-modifying therapies |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/13/3/237 |
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