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Latrepirdine May Have Beneficial Effects in Patients With Huntington’s Disease CHICAGO -- February 8, 2010 -- A medication previously studied in patients with Alzheimer’s disease (proposed generic name, latrepirdine) appears well tolerated and may improve thinking, learning, and memory skills among individuals with Huntington’s disease, according to a study published in the February issue of Archives of Neurology. The only approved therapy for Huntington’s disease, tetrabenazine, treats only motor symptoms and does not alter the course of the disease or prevent cognitive decline. Abnormalities in mitochondria have been implicated in the development of Huntington’s disease. The synthetic molecule, latrepirdine, stabilises and improves mitochondrial function, and has been studied as a way to improve cognitive, behavioural, and functional outcomes in patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Karl Kieburtz, MD, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, and colleagues assessed the safety and tolerability of latrepirdine among 91 participants with mild to moderate Huntington’s disease at enrollment (2007-2008). For 90 days, 46 patients were randomly assigned to take latrepirdine 20 mg 3 times daily and the other 45 took a matching placebo. The medication was well tolerated (87% of latrepirdine-treated patients completed the study vs 82% in the control group) and adverse event rates were similar between the 2 groups (70% in the latrepirdine group vs 80% in the placebo group). In addition, the treatment resulted in improved average scores on an evaluation measuring overall cognitive function. Scores of individuals in the placebo group remained steady over the study period. “Our data suggest that latrepirdine, at a dosage of 20 milligrams three times daily, is well tolerated for 90 days in patients with Huntington’s disease and may have a beneficial effect on cognition,” the authors concluded. “Future studies of latrepirdine are planned to further evaluate the effect of latrepirdine on the cognitive and behavioral symptoms of Huntington’s disease.” SOURCE: Archives of Neurology E-mail this page to a friend or colleague! To print, use this version