Galantamine for Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment Audio summaries | Evidence Aid summaries | Cochrane Methodology abstracts Galantamine improves global and cognitive symptoms at doses of 16 mg/day or greater, in people with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease, for at least 6 monthsAlzheimer's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative illness, affecting thinking and memory. Galantamine is a reversible cholinesterase inhibitor that inhibits the degradation of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, and may have other actions on nicotinic receptors as well. The review finds that galantamine was more effective than placebo in improving cognitive function. A greater proportion of people taking galantamine than of those taking placebo was rated as improved or not changed after three to six months. There was evidence of improvement on measures of activities of daily living and behavioral symptoms. Longer-term controlled studies have yet to be performed or published.
