| abstract |
The invention provides methods for treating and/or preventing Alzheimer's disease, psychiatric illnesses, encephalitis, meningitis, fetal alcohol syndrome, Karsakoff's syndrome, anoxic brain injury, cardiopulmonary resuscitation injuries, diabetes, Sjogren's syndrome, mental retardation, developmental delay, menopause, strokes, macular degeneration, neuronal loss associated with macular degeneration, sleep disorders, severe Alzheimer's disease, jet lag, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorders, panic attacks, obsessive-compulsive disorder, amnesia, and other disorders by administering to a patient in need thereof at least one cholinesterase inhibitor. The invention also provides novel pharmaceutical compositions that can be administered to the eyes or to the nose of patients. In one embodiment, the cholinesterase inhibitor is donepezil, a stereoisomer thereof and/or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. In other embodiments, the cholinesterase inhibitor can be one or more of phenserine, tolserine, phenethylnorcymserine, ganstigmine, epastigmine, tacrine, physostigmine, pyridostigmine, neostigmine, rivastigmine, galantamine, citicoline, velnacrine, huperzine, metrifonate, heptastigmine, edrophonium, TAK-147, T-82, and upreazine. |