Biomedical subjects
L Tritsmans
Publications and source records attributed to L Tritsmans.
The effect of sabeluzole (R 58735) on memory retrieval functions.
In a first double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel experiment, 20 volunteers with a median age of 45 years were treated for 1 week with either sabeluzole (R 58735) or placebo. Before and after the treatment period, they were subjected to a Selective Reminding Procedure in which a 20-word list had to be learned. No differences between the two groups were seen for total recall, short-term retrieval, total long-term retrieval, random long-term retrieval and long-term storage. However, a significant improvement in consistent long-term retrieval (cLTR) was seen for the subjects treated with sabeluzole. This effect was restricted to the group of the poor performers, i.e. those with a baseline cLTR of 50% or less. In a second experiment, 12 healthy elderly volunteers with a median age of 59 years were subjected to the same test procedure. They were treated with sabeluzole in a single-blind fashion. Again the cLTR improved significantly in the group of poor performers. It was thus confirmed that sabeluzole ameliorates retrieval functions and primarily so in poor performers.
Sabeluzole (R58 735) increases consistent retrieval during serial learning and relearning of nonsense syllables.
Consistent retrieval during serial learning of nonsense syllables was investigated under sabeluzole (10 mg b.i.d. for 7 days) and placebo. The same material was relearned 1 week after withdrawal of the drug. During learning a twofold improvement in retrieval efficiency was seen when volunteers learned new material under steady-state levels of sabeluzole. During relearning, material originally learned under sabeluzole was significantly better retrieved than material learned under placebo. The results suggest that sabeluzole influences basic mechanisms involved in storage and retrieval of new information.
The effect of R 58 735 (Sabeluzole) on memory functions in healthy elderly volunteers.
The effects of chronic treatment (5 mg b.i.d. for 2 days followed by 10 mg b.i.d. for 5 days) with R 58 735 on human memory functions were studied in healthy elderly (age greater than or equal to 50 years) volunteers in a double-blind placebo-controlled study. Serial learning of nonsense syllables was better under R 58 735, and relearning 1 week after termination of the treatment was superior to relearning of similar material initially learned under placebo. Free recall of nonsense syllables was significantly better when these were learned under active compound. Proactive inhibition induced by consecutive presentation of word lists was attenuated by R 58 735. Short-term memory functions, retrieval accuracy from semantic memory and unprepared reaction times were unchanged. R 58 735 ameliorated both learning and recall in conditions of age-related mild hypofunction in healthy volunteers. The compound seems to have had positive effects on encoding and consolidation of new material.