Potential of moclobemide to improve cerebral insufficiency identified using a scopolamine model of aging and dementia

After a baseline performance assessment, 28 healthy male volunteers received subcutaneous injections of scopolamine hydrobromide to induce deficits in memory, attention and cognitive processes. Subsequent performance testing established the decrements caused by the scopolamine, and then each subject was given one of 3 investigational drugs including moclobemide, or placebo, according to a latin-square design. Parallel versions of the test procedures were used to assess drug effects on the scopolamine-induced cognitive deficits. Whereas marked and statistically significant impairment was identified 60 min after scopolamine injection, the global analysis revealed statistically significant superiority of moclobemide over placebo at 120 min in relieving the scopolamine-induced decrement in performance. These results show that moclobemide may improve cognition in conditions associated with cholinergic deficit. It may therefore be especially indicated in the treatment of cognitive decline occurring with normal aging, depression in elderly people and Alzheimer's disease.