Tacrine - Caveat lector

                       Tacrine or THA (tetrahydroaminoacridine) has
                       been demonstrated in research by Dr. Mohs and
                       by Dr. Summers to consistently improve memory
                       in Alzheimer's patients.

                       Dr. Summers has had very hopeful results
                       treating Alzheimer's with a combination of
                       deprenyl and THA plus the nutrient lecithin.
                       Deprenyl increases availability of the
                       neurotransmitters dopamine, norepinephrine, and
                       phenylethylamine, which play a critical role in
                       motor, behavior, and cognitive functions. THA
                       helps to preserve acetylcholine in the brain, and
                       lecithin is a nutrient from which the body
                       manufactures acetylcholine. Although deprenyl
                       and THA plus lecithin work according to different
                       mechanisms, it is believed the combination of the
                       two is more effective in improving memory in
                       Alzheimer's patients. 

                       Summers used THA plus lecithin extensively with
                       patients with good success until July 1990, when
                       the FDA forced him to stop his project.
                       Unfortunately, THA is hard to obtain, and
                       deprenyl has been approved only for treating
                       Parkinson's disease. As a result, research into
                       improving this treatment is slow, and approval
                       doesn't look likely, which has lead to an outcry
                       by Summers and the families of Alzheimer's
                       sufferers. In 1991, they filed a class-action suit
                       against the FDA. Under pressure from the
                       lawsuit, the FDA decided to allow "expanded
                       access" to THA under its "treatment IND
                       program." However, Saul Kent, publisher of Life
                       Extension Report, points out that the promised
                       access is, in fact, limited by many restrictions.
                       As an alternative, Summers's group established
                       an Alzheimer's Buyer's Club in Costa Rica.

                       Copyright ©1993: Beverly Potter & Sebastian
                       Orfali. Excerpted from Brain Boosters: Foods &
                       Drugs That Make You Smarter. Permission given
                       by Ronin Publishing, Inc., Berkeley, CA to Smart
                       Basics Inc. to distribute on web site only. This
                       material may be downloaded by individuals for
                       personal use only, but it may not be reproduced
                       and distributed to others without specific written
                       permission of the publisher. All Rights Reserved.

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