The Fourth International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders

James Mortimer, Ph.D. Khalid Iqbal, Ph.D. Bengt Winblad, MD, Ph.D.

Henry M. Wisniewski, MD, Ph.D. Organized by: Al Snider, Ph.D.

The effect of the drug, dimethyl sulfoxide, was studied in 18 patients with "probable AD" diagnosed according to NINCDA-ADRDA criteria. Patients were repeatedly tested for a period of 9 months. Efficacy was estimated from the results of neurological and neuropsychological testing, immunological examination of neurospecific proteins (NSP) and autoantibodies (AAB) to them.

The obtained results indicated that the severity of mental-amnestic disturbances and disorientation in time and space reliably decreased after 3 and especially 6 months of treatment. There was also a trend for praxic and speech impairments to decrease from baseline, in addition, indices of concentration and communicability improved.

The results of immunoenzyme analysis of NSP and AAB to them showed a decrease of NSP serum concentration and a stabilizing influence of dimethyl sulfoxide on the blood brain barrier.

The action mechanism, clinical efficacy and adverse reactions will be discussed.