A safely tested new drug to help septuagenarians remember was disclosed at the recent annual meeting of neuroscience in Washington, US. The drug contains a new class of molecules called ampakines, which accelerate intra-cellular information. In the study, Stockholm-based men aged between 65 and 73, who took the drug scored higher in memory tests than those taking placebo. Medium doses of ampakine doubled their scores and higher doses made them capable to match young people. In younger subjects the drug's effects were small but detectable. Ampakines make key receptors on the surface of the cells more responsive to the neurotransmitter chemical, glutamate ( New Scientist , Vol 152, No 2057.
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