Abstract
The role of noradrenergic neurotransmission in normal cognitive functions has been
extensively investigated, however, the involvement of noradrenergic functions in the
cognitive impairment associated with schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s disease has not
been as intensively considered. The limited ability of atypical antipsychotics to
treat the cognitive impairment of schizophrenia, and cholinomimetics to treat the
cognitive impairment of Alzheimer’s disease, may be related to the influence of a
multiplicity of neurotransmitter abnormalities including noradrenergic dysfunction,
which these treatments do not address. The evidence of noradrenergic dysfunction occurring
concomitantly with dopamine dysfunction in schizophrenia and acetylcholine dysfunction
in Alzheimer’s disease supports therapeutic approaches using noradrenergic drugs in
combination with neuroleptics and cholinesterase inhibitors, respectively, to enhance
the treatment of cognitive impairment. Given the results of animal and human studies,
it appears that α-2A agonists may be the optimal choice for this purpose.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
August 10,
1999
Received in revised form:
August 9,
1999
Received:
May 5,
1999
Identification
Copyright
© 1999 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
