Taking a drug used for Alzheimer’s disease may help deal with the memory loss experienced by people with multiple sclerosis, according to a study published in the medical journal Neurology.
The finding could help the large percentage, nearly fifty percent of MS patients, who suffer from cognitive problems.

About half of all MS patients experience problems with memory and other cognitive functions. These problems are a leading cause of disability for people with MS.
And until now, there really has been no good drug to treat memory loss and other cognitive problems caused by MS.
“I’m waiting for the ax to fall, I’m just waiting for the day that my memory just leaves. But my neurologist says I’m doing fine, I have no memory problems,” says Phylis Motta.
Phylis Motta was diagnosed with MS at the age of 24. She is 32 now, and is already worrying about memory loss.
The fact is studies have consistently demonstrated that 40 to 65% of patients with multiple sclerosis experience problems with memory, especially when it comes to recent memory and attention. The problem of cognitive deficits can be seen early on in MS and tends to worsen over time.
Dr. Nicholas LaRocca of the National MS Society says, “Cognitive changes can affect everyday activities including work, family responsibilities, social interaction. And I think that cognitive problems are still one of the symptoms of MS that may be recognized, but are not always addressed.”
Sadly, there are no proven treatments for the problem of memory loss associated with MS.
But researchers may be on the correct path in the form of an Alzheimer’s drug.
Research published in the journal Neurology looked at 69 people with MS and mild cognitive problems. Half of the participants took the drug Donepezil, or Aricept, for 24 weeks and the other half took a dummy placebo pill. The participants were given tests of memory and other cognitive functions at the beginning and end of the study six months later.
Those taking Aricept improved by an average of 14% on the memory test, compared to a 3% improvement for those taking the placebo. Two-thirds of those taking the drug felt that their memory had improved, compared to one-third of those taking the placebo. The researchers don’t know how Donepezil may work in the brain to help improve memory in people with MS. With Alzheimer’s disease, the drug blocks the breakdown of a brain chemical called acetylcholine, although MS is not caused by a drop in acetylcholine levels.
It’s possible the nerves can’t respond to the hormone as well, and boosting levels can help that.
While the findings offer hope, Donepezil-treated patients did not show significant improvements on other cognitive tests, only those tests that were related to memory. Still, MS advocates are happy there’s a study calling attention to the cognitive problem which has mostly been ignored.
It’s gratifying to see investigators who are looking at this, and are trying to come up with ways to treat this problem and to address this therapeutically,” says Dr. LaRocca.
It’s not known how long the treatment should be used, and whether the benefits are lost once you stop treatment. Researchers say a larger study should be done to confirm these results that will help MS patients with memory loss. This is particularly necessary because MS patients typically take several drugs already, so she believes they should have strong evidence that it will truly be beneficial.

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