Aricept, short term memory and REM sleep

published by Matt on Tue, 08/10/2010 - 17:41
English

I mentioned to my sleep Dr. that my short term memory seemed to be getting really bad.  He suggested I try Aricept, a drug that is given to Alzheimers patients.  He also said it might increase my REM sleep.  I researched the drug and it didn't seem to have any really bad side effects so I have been using it at the 5 mg dose level for about a month.  I still can't tell if it has improved my memory, but it has almost doubled my REM sleep.  I am also starting to remember some of my dreams which I haven't done for years.  I have a sense that I feel better when I wake up.  Does anyone else have any experience with this drug?

Lee Adams

Wed, 11/17/2010 - 12:26

Matt,

 

The drug you talk about "Aricept" is a anticholinesterase inhibtor, that means that it reduces the breakdown of acetylcholine (a neurotrasmitter) in the brain. There are many othe drugs as well as supplaments that support the either reduction of the breakdown of acetylecholine or supports in the brain producing more. Some that I am familure with are called galantamine and Alpha-gpc.

The important aspect of aetylecholine in sleep is that its a modulator during the sleep phase to produce REM.It all ties to the chimical processes that activate sleep, sleep paralysis, and all the sleep phases. If you ever heard about something called seritonin (also a neurotrasmitter) its like the evil twin of aetylecholine because it is a demodualtor of REM but still deals with the sleep process.

The reason that your doctor wants to increase the amount of acetylcholine in your system is because of people that have dementia and alzheimer's have an area of the brain that is deminishing and that area of the brain is what produces acetylcholine. Its really only thought that this is what causes the memory loss but as far as I know not really proven.