Alzheimer's disease affects cognitive function, stripping away the brain's ability to remember, learn and make sense of the world. While the exact causes of Alzheimer's remain undetermined, the action of acetylcholinesterase has been linked to the disease. Drugs and remedies that block the action of this compound are used as a form of treatment for the disease.
Acetylcholinesterase
Acetylcholinesterase, or AChE, is an enzyme produced in the brain that breaks down the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Acetylcholine normally operates in the brain to assist in learning and memory. The action of acetylcholinesterase happens quickly and operates to control the areas where acetylcholine is active, mediating how the brain changes and adapts.
Role in Alzheimer's
In Alzheimer's patients, acetylcholine levels drop rapidly, causing a deficiency, and this has been implicated as a cause of at least some of the symptoms of the disease. According to the journal Age and Aging, acetylcholine also exhibits anti-inflammatory properties and plays this role in the brain as well. It remains unknown whether the drop in acetylcholine is a symptom of Alzheimer's disease or a cause. However, when this drop is prevented by limiting the action of acetylcholinesterase, cognitive decline slows in Alzheimer's patients. In addition, acetylcholinesterase may be directly involved in the formation of amyloid plaques, a characteristic of Alzheimer's disease.
Medications
Medicines designed to halt the activity of acetylcholinesterase are called cholinesterase inhibitors. Drugs in this class include Exelon, Reminyl, Aricept and Cognex. The use of these drugs not only slows memory loss but also may lessen the incidence of psychiatric symptoms such as hallucinations or delusions.
Huperzine A
The compound huperzine A comes from a moss and is a traditional Chinese medicine for dementias such as Alzheimer's disease. According to the Alzheimer's Association, in the body, huperzine A acts as an inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase, and taking this herbal remedy leads to an increase in acetylcholine in the brain. Huperzine A is still in clinical trials to gauge its efficiency at halting the action of acetylcholinesterase and raising acetylcholine levels as compared to cholinesterase inhibitor drugs. Nonetheless, it is currently sold as a dietary supplement in the U.S.
Considerations
Aside from Alzheimer's disease, acetylcholinesterase has also been implicated in the development of diabetes mellitis, according to a 2006 study in the journal Lipids in Health and Disease. Using medication against acetylcholinesterase to affect one of these diseases may also affect the other. Anyone who plans on taking a cholinesterase inhibitor or huperzine A as a treatment for Alzheimer's should discuss these treatments with a doctor first to determine whether or not blocking the action of acetylcholinesterase is likely to help their individual situation.
References
- Neuroreport: Huperzine A- a novel acetylcholinesterase inhibitor
- Lipids in Health and Disease:Alzheimer's disease and Type 2 diabetes mellitus: the cholinesterase connection?
- Mayo Clinic: Alzheimer's Disease
- Alzheimer's Association: Alternative Treatments
- Age and Aging:Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors for Alzheimer’s disease
